Definition of covalent

The word "covalent" is derived from two Latin words, "cōvalēns" and "entia." The Latin word "cōvalēns" translates to "sharing," while "entia" means "thing" or "substance." In chemistry, the term "covalent" refers to the way atoms can share electrons to form molecules. The term was coined in the late 1800s by a Russian chemist, Dmitri Mendeleev, as a way to distinguish between two types of bonding: ionic bonding, which occurs between charged ions, and covalent bonding, which occurs between neutral atoms that share electrons. The prefix "co" in "covalent" refers to the idea of sharing, as covalent bonds form between atoms that share valence electrons in their outer shells. This sharing of electrons allows two atoms to bond together, forming a molecule with a stronger overall bond than if the atoms were separate. In summary, the word "covalent" comes from the Latin roots "cōvalēns" and "entia," which mean "sharing" and "thing" or "substance," respectively. After being coined by Mendeleev, the term "covalent" became a widely used and understood concept in chemistry, helping chemists to better understand the behavior and properties of molecules.