molecule
noun
mol·e·cule
ˈmä-li-ˌkyül 
1
: the smallest particle of a substance that retains all the properties (see property sense 1a) of the substance and is composed of one or more atoms (see atom sense 1a)
a molecule of water
a molecule of oxygen
2
: a tiny bit : particle
a molecule of political honesty—
Time
TimeExamples of molecule in a Sentence
There is not a molecule of evidence to support these charges.
not a molecule of sense in that girl
Recent Examples on the Web
The researchers behind the brain plastics study think the tiny shards of plastic hitch a ride on fat molecules to get inside brain cells.
—Megha Satyanarayana, Scientific American, 14 Feb. 2025
Life’s Building Blocks Inside an Asteroid: Scientists studying samples that NASA collected from the asteroid Bennu found a wide assortment of organic molecules that shed light on how life arose.
—Jason Bittel, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2025
Like how your left glove fits only your left hand and your right glove your right hand, chiral molecules can interact only with other molecules of compatible handedness.
—Kate Adamala, The Conversation, 11 Feb. 2025
These molecules travel to the colon, where bacteria ferment them.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for molecule
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Megha Satyanarayana, Scientific American, 14 Feb. 2025
Life’s Building Blocks Inside an Asteroid: Scientists studying samples that NASA collected from the asteroid Bennu found a wide assortment of organic molecules that shed light on how life arose.
—Jason Bittel, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2025
Like how your left glove fits only your left hand and your right glove your right hand, chiral molecules can interact only with other molecules of compatible handedness.
—Kate Adamala, The Conversation, 11 Feb. 2025
These molecules travel to the colon, where bacteria ferment them.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for molecule
Articles Related to molecule
Cite this Entry
“Molecule.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/molecule. Accessed 28 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
molecule
noun
mol·e·cule
ˈmäl-i-ˌkyü(ə)l
1
: the smallest particle of a substance having all the characteristics of the substance
a molecule of water
a molecule of oxygen
2
: a very small bit : particle
Medical Definition
molecule
noun
mol·e·cule
ˈmäl-i-ˌkyü(ə)l
: the smallest particle of a substance that retains all the properties of the substance and is composed of one or more atoms
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