molecular

molecular — adjective

1. describing something that involves, works at the level of, or is made up of mole

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describing something that involves, works at the level of, or is made up of molecules — the tiny bonded clusters of atoms that are the most basic chemical units making up every substance

Example

Professor Eli's research examines the molecular structure of proteins.

molecular structure + of [noun]

The new machine analyzes molecular interactions between drugs and human cells.

molecular interactions — collocation in life sciences

Common collocations
  • molecular structure
  • molecular biology
  • molecular weight
  • molecular interactions
  • molecular basis
  • molecular change
  • molecular level

Grammar Patterns

molecular + noun

Usage Note

Typically used directly before a noun. Common in scientific compound terms such as molecular biology, molecular weight, and molecular structure. Not used as a general adjective meaning 'very small' in everyday English — that figurative extension is non-standard.

Common Mistakes

A water molecular has two hydrogen atoms.
A water molecule has two hydrogen atoms.
molecular is an adjective; use molecule as the noun form.
The team discussed the molecular details of the marketing plan.
The team discussed the smallest details of the marketing plan.
molecular should not be used as a general word for 'very small details'; it belongs to scientific contexts about actual molecules.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

While molecular refers to the level of molecules (groups of atoms bonded together), atomic describes the even smaller level of individual atoms. For instance, chemists study molecular bonds between atoms within a molecule, but atomic number refers to the characteristics of a single element's atom. Cellular relates to cells, which are much larger biological structures composed of many molecules — so molecular biology studies the chemical processes inside cells, while cell biology examines the cells as whole units. Particulate describes tiny separate pieces of any solid material, without the specific chemical meaning of molecular. In practical use, molecular level means the chemical makeup of a substance, whereas particulate matter refers to visible or microscopic dust particles in the air.

atomic ↗cellular ↗particulate ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • at the molecular level

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word molecular comes from molecule, which was created in the 1600s from the Latin word molecula meaning 'a small mass.' The Latin root moles means 'a large mass,' and the small suffix -cula was added to name the tiny particles that scientists believed made up all substances. The adjective form molecular appeared in English in the early 1800s as chemistry developed into a modern science.