Standard Lemma guide

electronegative

adj · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

adj

Meaning 1

having a negative electric charge

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

tending to attract electrons to form a chemical bond

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

having a negative charge

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • electrons are negative

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: negative, negatively charged

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree French électro-bor. Ancient Greek ἤλεκτρον (ḗlektron)bor. Latin ēlectrum Latin electro-bor. English electro- English negative English electronegative From electro- + negative.

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: elektronegatiivinen — tending to attract electrons
  • Greek: ηλεκτραρνητικός (ilektrarnitikós) — tending to attract electrons
  • Hungarian: elektronegatív — tending to attract electrons
  • Hungarian: elektromosan negatív — tending to attract electrons
  • Hungarian: negatív elektromos/villamos töltésű — tending to attract electrons
  • Irish: leictridhiúltach — tending to attract electrons
  • Polish: elektroujemny — tending to attract electrons
  • Russian: электроотрица́тельный (elektrootricátelʹnyj) — tending to attract electrons
  • Slovak: elektronegatívny — tending to attract electrons
  • Tagalog: dagibaling — tending to attract electrons