polynuclear
|pol-y-nu-cle-ar|
🇺🇸
/ˌpɑːliˈnuːkliɚ/
🇬🇧
/ˌpɒlɪˈnjuːklɪə(r)/
having many nuclei
Etymology
'polynuclear' originates from the Greek prefix 'poly-' and the Latin word 'nucleus', where 'poly-' meant 'many' and 'nucleus' meant 'kernel' or 'core'.
'polynuclear' was formed in modern English by combining 'poly-' + 'nuclear'; 'nuclear' itself derives from Latin 'nucleus' (from 'nux' meaning 'nut') through Medieval/Scientific Latin and then into English.
Initially, 'nuclear' meant 'of or relating to a kernel or central part'; over time, the compounded form 'polynuclear' came to mean specifically 'having multiple nuclei' in scientific usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
consisting of or containing more than one nucleus; having several nuclei (used in biology, physics, and materials science).
The tissue sample was polynuclear, showing several enlarged nuclei in each cell.
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Adjective 2
having multiple nuclear centers or atomic nuclei in a compound or complex (used in chemistry, e.g. polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons or polynuclear metal complexes).
Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of compounds composed of multiple fused aromatic rings.
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Last updated: 2025/12/02 00:21