ligand
/ˈlɪɡ.ənd/ noun
Forms ligands
- noun (coordination chemistry) Such an entity that binds to a central metal atom to form a coordination complex.
- noun (biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology, medicine) Such an entity that forms a complex with a biomolecule to serve a biological purpose.
- noun (typography) A letter that orthography requires or allows to be ligated with one or more other letters to form a ligature, such as a in æ or o in œ.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin ligandus, gerundive of ligo (“bind”).
Sources: Wiktionary — from the Wiktionary entry “ligand”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details