American Dictionary

Define dictionary terms easily in our powerful online English dictionary.

Searching for...

No matching words found

Try a different search term or browse the dictionary

Definition valence in American English

valence noun

[countable] noun
/ˈveɪləns/
/ˈveɪlənsi/
1

a measurement of the ability of an atom to combine with other atoms

Synonyms and related words
2

the valence of a verb refers to all the phrases and clauses that typically follow it. For example, the valence of a linking verb like 'be' typically involves a noun group, an adjective group, or a prepositional phrase such as 'in a muddle' in the sentence 'Oh dear, you are in a muddle, aren't you?'

Synonyms and related words
Definition valence in American English