hydrogen bond

noun

1. a type of chemical bond in which a hydrogen atom that has a covalent link with one of the electronegative atoms (F, N, O) forms an electrostatic link with another electronegative atom in the same or another molecule.

hydrogen bond

noun

1. a weak chemical bond between an electronegative atom, such as fluorine, oxygen, or nitrogen, and a hydrogen atom bound to another electronegative atom. Hydrogen bonds are responsible for the properties of water and many biological molecules

hydrogen bond

1. A chemical bond formed between an electropositive atom (typically hydrogen) and a strongly electronegative atom, such as oxygen or nitrogen. Hydrogen bonds are responsible for the bonding of water molecules in liquid and solid states, and are weaker than covalent and ionic bonds.

Word History and Origins

Origin of hydrogen bond¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

Without hydrogen bonds, water at room temperature would be a gas instead of a liquid.

From Science News

Now, researchers report that an unusually strong variety of hydrogen bond is in fact a hybrid, as it involves shared electrons, blurring the distinction between hydrogen and covalent bonds.

From Science News