Dimer
/ˈdaɪ.mər/noun
A molecule made of two similar units joined together.
Did you know?Dimer comes from the same ancient number-root that gave English words like duo and twice, so its name is basically an old Indo-European echo of “two made one.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dwóh₁
“two”
Ancient Greek
Greek
di-
“two; twice”
19th Century
English
dimer
“a molecule made of two identical or similar units”
Modern English
English
dimer
“a molecule composed of two linked subunits”