Monomer

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  monomer \mon"o*mer\, n. (Chem.)
     The basic conceptual building unit of a polymer; a molecule
     of low molecular weight which may combine with other
     molecules to form a molecule in a chain or branched form
     having high molecular weight; as, amino acids are the monomer
     units which are combined to form proteins; vinylic plastics


     are formed from monomers having a vinyl group.
     [PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  monomer
       n : a simple compound whose molecules can join together to form
           polymers