1. plural of covalence; the number of electron pairs shared between atoms in a covalent bond, or the capacity of an atom to form such bonds.
Usage: chemistry term; often used interchangeably with 'valence' in modern chemistry

Examples

• The covalences of carbon allow it to form four bonds with other atoms.
• Different elements exhibit different covalences depending on their electron configuration.
• In organic chemistry, understanding covalences is essential for predicting molecular structure.
• Nitrogen typically shows covalences of 3 or 5 in its compounds.
• The covalences of atoms determine how they combine to form molecules.