multivalent
adjective
mul·ti·va·lent
ˌməl-tē-ˈvā-lənt 
-ˌtī-
-ˌtī-
especially in sense 3
ˌməl-ˈti-və-
1
2
: represented more than twice in the somatic chromosome number
multivalent chromosomes
3
: having many values, meanings, or appeals
multivalent
noun
Examples of multivalent in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Though Ruscha’s multivalent work was the subject of a mid-career survey at LACMA in 1982, his retrospective — eight years in the making, partly because of COVID — has arrived at a peak moment.
—
Michael Slenske, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024
Despite the multivalent talents of Ives and Mantello, though, the piece, finished without Sondheim, cannot mend the ragged edge torn by his absence.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2023
Her work, including somber sphinxian riddles and the quiet, unforgettable terror of the titular comic, reflects a complicated artist who fought against the sexist strictures of her era, leaving behind a rich, multivalent collection of art wholly her own.
—Gabrielle Bellot, The Atlantic, 5 Aug. 2020
Located in the specificity of her South African context, Kganye’s multivalent work resonates with her nation’s traumatic history of colonialism and apartheid, and her work often takes literature, theatre and oral histories as their point of departure.
—Vogue, 21 Mar. 2022
Cruz’s physicality is similarly multivalent.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2021
The idea is that these multivalent shots could prep the body to recognize these viruses, should any of them take off in humans, helping prevent severe illness and death.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN, 22 Dec. 2022
In its very unconventionality as well as its focus on today’s youth, Social Sculpture is a living testament to the late multivalent talent.
—Janelle Zara, ELLE Decor, 5 July 2022
In remembering his life and times and attempting to parse the man from the myth, audiences come closer to understanding the multivalent meanings of American culture.
—Grant Wong, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 June 2022
Michael Slenske, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024
Despite the multivalent talents of Ives and Mantello, though, the piece, finished without Sondheim, cannot mend the ragged edge torn by his absence.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2023
Her work, including somber sphinxian riddles and the quiet, unforgettable terror of the titular comic, reflects a complicated artist who fought against the sexist strictures of her era, leaving behind a rich, multivalent collection of art wholly her own.
—Gabrielle Bellot, The Atlantic, 5 Aug. 2020
Located in the specificity of her South African context, Kganye’s multivalent work resonates with her nation’s traumatic history of colonialism and apartheid, and her work often takes literature, theatre and oral histories as their point of departure.
—Vogue, 21 Mar. 2022
Cruz’s physicality is similarly multivalent.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2021
The idea is that these multivalent shots could prep the body to recognize these viruses, should any of them take off in humans, helping prevent severe illness and death.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN, 22 Dec. 2022
In its very unconventionality as well as its focus on today’s youth, Social Sculpture is a living testament to the late multivalent talent.
—Janelle Zara, ELLE Decor, 5 July 2022
In remembering his life and times and attempting to parse the man from the myth, audiences come closer to understanding the multivalent meanings of American culture.
—Grant Wong, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 June 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'multivalent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near multivalent
Cite this Entry
“Multivalent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/multivalent. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
multivalent
1 of 2 adjective
mul·ti·va·lent
ˌməl-ti-ˈvā-lənt
-ˌtī-
-ˌtī-
1
2
: represented more than twice in the somatic chromosome number
multivalent chromosomes
multivalent
2 of 2 noun
: a multivalent group of chromosomes
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