MOLECULE
Dictionary entry overview: What does molecule mean?
• MOLECULE (noun)
The noun MOLECULE has 2 senses:
1. (physics and chemistry) the simplest structural unit of an element or compound
2. (nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything
Familiarity information: MOLECULE used as a noun is rare.
Dictionary entry details
• MOLECULE (noun)
Meaning:
(physics and chemistry) the simplest structural unit of an element or compound
Classified under:
Nouns denoting substances
Hypernyms ("molecule" is a kind of...):
building block; unit (a single undivided natural thing occurring in the composition of something else)
Meronyms (parts of "molecule"):
chain; chemical chain ((chemistry) a series of linked atoms (generally in an organic molecule))
atom ((physics and chemistry) the smallest component of an element having the chemical properties of the element)
chemical group; group; radical ((chemistry) two or more atoms bound together as a single unit and forming part of a molecule)
Domain category:
chemical science; chemistry (the science of matter; the branch of the natural sciences dealing with the composition of substances and their properties and reactions)
natural philosophy; physical science; physics (the science of matter and energy and their interactions)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "molecule"):
dipole molecule (a molecule that is a permanent dipole)
protein molecule (any large molecule containing chains of amino acids linked by peptide bonds)
coenzyme (a small molecule (not a protein but sometimes a vitamin) essential for the activity of some enzymes)
macromolecule; supermolecule (any very large complex molecule; found only in plants and animals)
Meaning:
(nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything
Classified under:
Nouns denoting substances
Synonyms:
corpuscle; mote; particle; atom; molecule; speck
Hypernyms ("molecule" is a kind of...):
material; stuff (the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "molecule"):
grain (a small hard particle)
chylomicron (a microscopic particle of triglycerides produced in the intestines during digestion; in the bloodstream they release their fatty acids into the blood)
flyspeck (a tiny dark speck made by the excrement of a fly)
identification particle (a tiny particle of material that can be added to a product to indicate the source of manufacture)
