cross-link
UK[ˈkrɒs lɪŋk]US[ˈkrɔːs lɪŋk]
n
A chemical bond or link between different chains of atoms in a polymer or other complex molecule.
v
To connect different chains of molecules by means of chemical bonds.
Morpheme Breakdown
cross
link
cross
across
link
connection
Etymology
The term 'cross-link' is a modern scientific compound, formed in English from two pre-existing native words. 'Cross', with its Latin-derived sense of something transverse or intersecting, was combined with 'link', a word of Germanic origin denoting a connecting ring in a chain. The compound first emerged in early 20th-century chemistry to describe a specific structural phenomenon: bonds that connect adjacent long-chain polymer molecules, forming a network. The logic is vividly spatial: 'cross' implies a connection going across from one chain to another, while 'link' specifies the nature of that connection as a bond or tie. This literal imagery of chains being linked together transversely perfectly captures the molecular reality the term describes.
Analysis
Structure: cross (across) + link (connection)
- cross: From Old English 'cros', ultimately from Latin 'crux, crucis' (a cross, torture stake). In this compound, it functions as an adjective/adverb meaning "across, transverse, connecting different parts."
- link: From Middle English 'linke', likely from Old Norse 'hlenkr' (a link of a chain). It functions as a noun/verb meaning "a connecting element; to connect."
Examples
The cross-links between the polymer chains give the plastic its durability.
Scientists can cross-link proteins to study their interactions.
The degree of cross-linking determines the material's flexibility.