1. The number of electrons lost, gained, or shared by an atom in a chemical compound; a measure of an element's combining capacity in terms of electron transfer or sharing.
Usage: chemistry; plural form of electrovalence; also called electrovalency

Examples

• The electrovalences of sodium and chlorine determine how they bond in sodium chloride.
• Different elements exhibit different electrovalences depending on their electron configurations.
• Understanding electrovalences is essential for predicting ionic compound formation.
• The electrovalences of transition metals can vary, making their chemistry more complex.
• Students learn about electrovalences to understand how atoms combine to form molecules.