Word Study
bivalent
CIDE DICTIONARY
Equivalent in combining or displacing power to two atoms of hydrogen; dyad. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
bivalent, adj. & n.
--adj.
1 Chem. having a valency of two.
2 Biol. (of homologous chromosomes) associated in pairs.
--n. Biol. any pair of homologous chromosomes.
--adj.
1 Chem. having a valency of two.
2 Biol. (of homologous chromosomes) associated in pairs.
--n. Biol. any pair of homologous chromosomes.
Derivative
bivalency n.
Etymology
BI- + valent- pres. part. stem formed as VALENCE(1)
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