1. the number of covalent bonds that an atom can form with other atoms
Usage: chemistry term; also called valency in some contexts

Examples

• Carbon has a covalency of four, meaning it can form four covalent bonds.
• The covalency of oxygen is typically two in most organic compounds.
• Understanding covalency is essential for predicting molecular structure.
• Nitrogen exhibits a covalency of three in ammonia.
• The covalency of an element determines how many electrons it can share with neighboring atoms.