the weight of an element or compound that will combine with or displace 8 grams of oxygen or 1.007 97 grams of hydrogen
Also called: gram equivalent
equivalent weight in American English
noun
Chemistry
the combining power, esp. in grams (gram equivalent), of an element or compound, equivalent to hydrogen as a standard of 1.00797 or oxygen as a standard of 8; the atomic weight divided by the valence
Word origin
[1925–30]This word is first recorded in the period 1925–30. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: Nazi, dropout, gimmick, off-line, recycle