mononuclear
|mo-no-nu-clear|
🇺🇸
/ˌmoʊnoʊˈnuːkliər/
🇬🇧
/ˌmɒnəˈnjuːklɪə(r)/
single nucleus / single center
Etymology
'mononuclear' originates from a combination of the prefix 'mono-' (from Greek 'monos' meaning 'single') and 'nuclear' (from Latin 'nucleus' meaning 'kernel' or 'core').
'nucleus' comes from Latin 'nucleus' (diminutive of 'nux' meaning 'nut'); 'nuclear' developed via New Latin/Modern Latin as 'nuclearis' and entered English as 'nuclear' in the 19th century. The combining form 'mono-' from Greek 'monos' has been used in New Latin and scientific coinages; 'mononuclear' was formed in scientific English (19th–20th centuries) to mean 'having one nucleus/one center'.
Initially it literally meant 'having a single kernel or nucleus'; the basic meaning has largely remained, while usage expanded from biological description to also denote a single central atom/center in chemistry.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having a single nucleus; e.g., a cell or organism with one nucleus (used in biology and medicine).
The blood sample showed a high proportion of mononuclear cells.
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Adjective 2
consisting of a single central atom or metal center (used for chemical complexes or clusters; opposite of polynuclear).
The researcher prepared a mononuclear iron complex for the catalysis study.
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Last updated: 2025/09/14 10:10