polynuclear

adjective

poly·nu·cle·ar ˌpä-lē-ˈnü-klē-ər

-ˈnyü-,

nonstandard -kyə-lər

: chemically polycyclic especially with respect to the benzene ring

—used chiefly of aromatic hydrocarbons that are important as pollutants and possibly as carcinogens

Examples of polynuclear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web There was evidence of total petroleum hydrocarbons, though the summary did not list which specific chemicals, and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons – chemicals that occur naturally in coal, crude oil, and gasoline – in the soil. —

Kaitlin Durbin, cleveland, 17 Aug. 2022

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