Meaning
A molecule or moiety (ion, functional group, or radical) that binds to another chemical entity to form a larger complex; as, especially:
Etymology
Origin: Latin
Borrowed from Latin ligandus, gerundive of ligo (“bind”).
NYT Puzzle Appearances
No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.