Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun The smallest particle of a substance that retains the chemical and physical properties of the substance and is composed of two or more atoms; a group of like or different atoms held together by chemical forces.
- noun A small particle; a tiny bit.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun The smallest mass of any substance which is capable of existing in a separate form — that is, the smallest part into which the substance can be divided without destroying its chemical character (identity).
- noun A very small particle or bit of something; a particle; an atom.
- noun In ornithology, the tread or cicatricula of a fecundated ovum.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun One of the very small invisible particles of which all ordinary matter is supposed to consist.
- noun (Physics) The smallest part of any substance which possesses the characteristic properties and qualities of that substance, and which can exist alone in a free state.
- noun (Chem.) A group of atoms so united and combined by chemical affinity that they form a complete, integrated whole, being the smallest portion of any particular compound that can exist in a free state. Cf.
Atom .
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun chemistry The
smallest particle of aspecific element orcompound thatretains thechemical properties of that element or compound; two or more atoms heldtogether by chemicalbonds . - noun A
tiny amount .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun (nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything
- noun (physics and chemistry) the simplest structural unit of an element or compound
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word molecule.
Examples
-
Each protein molecule is made up of several thousand atoms.
-
In severe forms, the hemoglobin molecule is so deformed that it can't bind with oxygen, rendering the red blood cell useless.
Archive 2004-09-01 2004
-
In severe forms, the hemoglobin molecule is so deformed that it can't bind with oxygen, rendering the red blood cell useless.
Medpundit 2004
-
The ubiquitin molecule is transferred to a different enzyme,
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2004 - Information for the Public 2004
-
The labeled protein molecule is transported to a type of waste disposer inside the cell called the proteasome, which recognizes the label rather like a key fitting into a lock.
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2004 - Presentation Speech 2004
-
The toxin molecule is composed of several parts, one of which
Nobelprize.org: The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1994 1994
-
Thus the protein molecule is made up from such building blocks.
-
If now the protein molecule is broken down, this usually comes about with the introduction of the elements of water.
-
The haemoglobin molecule is four times as large, and its structure is known less thoroughly.
-
It was chosen for the initial attempt, partly because it could develop good crystals, and partly because the haemoglobin molecule is quite small for a protein molecule.
Comments
Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.