adduct

American  

[uh-duhkt, ad-uhkt] / əˈdʌkt, ˈæd ʌkt /

verb (used with object)

1. Physiology. to move or draw toward the axis of the body or one of its parts (opposed to abduct).

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noun

1. Also called addition compound.  Chemistry. a combination of two or more independently stable compounds by means of van der Waals' forces, coordinate bonds, or covalent bonds.

adduct British  

/ əˈdʌkt /

verb

1. (of a muscle) to draw or pull (a leg, arm, etc) towards the median axis of the body Compare abduct

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noun

1. chem a compound formed by direct combination of two or more different compounds or elements

Other Word Forms

• adduction noun
• adductive adjective

Etymology

Origin of adduct

First recorded in 1830–40; from Latin adductus “drawn to,” past participle of addūcere “to bring into”; see adduce

Compare meaning

How does adduct compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• abduct vs. adduct

Example Sentences

An adduct is a bulky chemical attachment that forms when a compound, such as a carcinogen, binds directly to DNA.

From Science Daily • Nov. 28, 2025

The species donating the electron pair that compose the bond is a Lewis base, the species accepting the electron pair is a Lewis acid, and the product of the reaction is a Lewis acid-base adduct.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

Loss of this subunit impedes alkylation adduct repair kinetics and increases sensitivity to alkylating agents, but not other forms of DNA damage.

From Nature • Nov. 7, 2017

On the medial part of the thigh, the adductor longus, adductor brevis, and adductor magnus adduct the thigh and medially rotate it.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Contraction of the anterior pterygoid when the jaw was in this position pulled the mandible forward and did not adduct it.

From The Adductor Muscles of the Jaw In Some Primitive Reptiles by Fox, Richard C.