binuclear
|bi-nu-cle-ar|
🇺🇸
/baɪˈnuːkliər/
🇬🇧
/baɪˈnjuːklɪə/
having two nuclei / two centers
Etymology
'binuclear' originates from Latin components: the prefix 'bi-' from Latin 'bis' meaning 'twice', combined with 'nuclear' from Latin 'nucleus' (a diminutive of 'nux') where 'nucleus' meant 'kernel' or 'core'.
'binuclear' is a modern English compound formed by joining the Latin-derived prefix 'bi-' + the adjective 'nuclear'. Scientific usage (e.g., in biology and chemistry) arose in the 19th–20th centuries as technical terminology; it entered general English as a descriptive compound without major orthographic change.
Initially formed to mean 'having two nuclei' in scientific contexts; its primary technical meaning has persisted, though it has also been applied more broadly/figuratively to denote 'having two centers' (e.g., in social descriptions).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having two nuclei in a single cell or organism; two-nucleated.
The protozoan was binuclear, showing both a macronucleus and a micronucleus.
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Adjective 2
in chemistry, describing a molecule or complex that contains two metal centers or two nuclei (e.g., a binuclear complex).
The researchers synthesized a binuclear iron complex with a bridging ligand.
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Adjective 3
relating to or involving two separate nuclei or centers; used figuratively (e.g., binuclear family — two household centers after parental separation).
After the separation they described their situation as a binuclear family, with children moving between two homes.
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Last updated: 2025/09/10 20:56