Standard Lemma guide

heteroatom

noun · 2 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

noun

Meaning 1

Any atom which is not carbon or hydrogen.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, organic-chemistry, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Any atom in a heterocyclic ring (or other structure normally built of carbon atoms) that is not a carbon atom.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, organic-chemistry, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *sem- Proto-Indo-European *sḿ̥teros Proto-Hellenic *hə́teros Ancient Greek ἕτερος (héteros)lbor. English hetero- English atom English heteroatom From hetero- + atom.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: heteroatomi — non-carbon atom in a carbon structure
  • German: Heteroatom — non-carbon atom in a carbon structure
  • Korean: 헤테로원자 (heterowonja) — non-carbon atom in a carbon structure
  • Spanish: heteroátomo — non-carbon atom in a carbon structure