allotrope
nounUK /ˈæ.lə.tɹəʊp/
Etymology Back-formation from allotropy, as allo- + -trope, from Ancient Greek ἄλλος (állos, “other”), and τρόπος (trópos, “way, manner”).
1
Chemistry, Natural sciences, Physical sciences Any form of an element that has a distinctly different molecular structure to another form of the same element, with different physical properties and often different chemical properties.
2
Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences An other form, a different shape of a lexical unit.
3
Human sciences, Philosophy, Sciences An alternative shape of a cognitive structure.
- Derived terms
- allotropize
- Related terms
- alloform, allotropic, allotropical, allotropism, allotropous, isoform, isotrope