Standard Lemma guide

rotaxane

noun · 1 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

A complex of two molecules, one ring-shaped and the other dumbbell-shaped, with the dumbbell threaded through the ring and having end groups too large to pass through the ring.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: physical

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 轮烷 (lún wán) — molecular complex shaped like a dumbbell threaded through a ring
  • French: rotaxane — molecular complex shaped like a dumbbell threaded through a ring
  • German: Rotaxan — molecular complex shaped like a dumbbell threaded through a ring
  • Greek: ροταξάνο (rotaxáno) — molecular complex shaped like a dumbbell threaded through a ring
  • Spanish: rotaxano — molecular complex shaped like a dumbbell threaded through a ring