Compound

Description

A homogeneous pure material. Compounds are composed of two or more atoms or ions that are held together by bonds or valence forces. The constituents of the compound are present in definite proportions. A compounds has characteristic properties that are different from those of its constituent elements.

Synonyms and Related Terms

compounds (pl.); compuesto (Esp.); composé (Fr.); composto (It.); composto (Port.)

Sources Checked for Data in Record

• Theodore J. Reinhart, 'Glossary of Terms', Engineered Plastics, ASM International, 1988

• Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993

• Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia, Douglas M. Considine (ed.), Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1976

• Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997

• The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998

• Art and Architecture Thesaurus Online, http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/aat/, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, 2000