Monomer
/ˈmɒn.ə.mər/noun
A molecule that can chemically bond with other molecules of the same or similar type to form a polymer.
Did you know?Its name combines Ancient Greek words for “alone” and “part,” a linguistic miniature of how one molecular unit becomes part of a much larger chain.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*men-
“One, alone; a reconstructed root associated with the idea of singleness”
Ancient Greek
Greek
μόνος (mónos)
“Alone, solitary, single”
Ancient Greek
Greek
μέρος (méros)
“A part, portion, or share”
19th Century
French
monomère
“A chemical unit capable of combining into a larger molecular structure”
19th Century
English
monomer
“A molecule that forms part of a polymer”
Modern English
English
monomer
“A molecular building block that links with others to form a polymer”