Pronounced: BAH-bit, noun
Notes: I’ve not run across this word
Yesterday’s word
The word valence means
- the combining capacity of an atom or group of atoms to form molecules
- the capacity of someone or something to affect another
First usage
Our word came into English in the early 1400s
Background / Comments
I remember from school discussions of “valence electrons”, and they are closely related to the first definition above. The second definition is new to me. Our word comes from the Latin word valentia (power; worth; or strength), which came from valere (to be well or strong).
Richard's Vocabulary Word-of-the-Day 