tervalent

[ tur-vey-luh nt ]
/ tɜrˈveɪ lənt /

adjective Chemistry.

possessing three different valences, as cobalt with valences 2, 3, and 4.

Origin of tervalent

1900–05; ter- + valent

OTHER WORDS FROM tervalent

ter·va·lence, ter·va·len·cy, noun

British Dictionary definitions for tervalent

tervalent
/ (tɜːˈveɪlənt) /

adjective

chem another word for trivalent

Derived forms of tervalent

tervalency, noun