Meanings
adjectivevicinal (not comparable)
- not comparableOf or pertaining to a neighborhood; neighboring.
- not comparablechemistryDescribing identical atoms or groups attached to nearby (especially adjacent) atoms in a molecule.
In spite of the analogy of dative bonds with covalent bonds in that both types imply sharing a common electron pair between two vicinal atoms, the former are distinguished by their significant polarity, lesser strength, and greater length.
1999 October 30, IUPAC, “Glossary of terms used in theoretical organic chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1999)”, in Pure and Applied Chemistry, →DOI, page 1933 - not comparablechemistryDescribing subordinate planes on a crystal, which are very near to the fundamental planes in angles, and sometimes take their place.
Origin
- Latinvīcīnālis
- Englishvicinal
From Latin vīcīnālis, from vīcus (“village”).
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian съседен
- съседен (săseden)of or pertaining to a neighborhood
French vicinal
- vicinalof or pertaining to a neighborhood
German vizinal
- vizinalof or pertaining to a neighborhood
Italian vicinale, vicinale
- vicinaleof or pertaining to a neighborhood
- vicinalechemistry: describing atoms attached to nearby atoms
Latin vīcīnālis
- vīcīnālisof or pertaining to a neighborhood
Polish sąsiedzki
- sąsiedzkiof or pertaining to a neighborhood
Spanish vecinal
- vecinalof or pertaining to a neighborhood
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
vicinal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vicinal
MLA
“vicinal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vicinal. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “vicinal,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vicinal.
Source: vicinal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.