functional group

noun

: a characteristic reactive unit of a chemical compound especially in organic chemistry

Examples of functional group in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The adsorbent has a second functional group called a carboxylate. IEEE Spectrum, 22 June 2018 Then assemble a cross-functional group of evangelists from various customer-facing roles, including customer success and marketing. Patrick Welch, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2023 The methane-producing methanogens had been detected previously, and Raymann’s study provides additional evidence that this functional group is dominant: no non-methanogenic lineages were seen in human samples. Jeffrey Marlow, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2017 My company makes sure that each hiring team includes a recruiting lead and a hiring manager, as well as a cross-functional group of colleagues who would work closely with the new employee. Jenny Xia Spradling, Forbes, 5 Oct. 2022 Every department must also have digitally savvy talent that should percolate across every functional group of the organization. Rajeev Sharma, Forbes, 7 July 2022 Working on an innovation project may enable employees to establish contacts in an area of the company different from their customary functional group. Edie Goldberg, Forbes, 9 June 2022 Put together a tiger team, a specialized and cross-functional group, with domain expertise in planning along with senior operational leaders. Akhil Oltikar, Forbes, 28 Jan. 2022 Identify a cross-functional group of individuals to assist, and give credit where credit is due — publicly and often. Heidi Davidson, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'functional group.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of functional group was in 1892

Dictionary Entries Near functional group

Cite this Entry

“Functional group.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/functional%20group. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.

Medical Definition

functional group

noun
: a characteristic reactive unit of a chemical compound

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