buckyball

noun

bucky·​ball ˈbə-kē-ˌbȯl How to pronounce buckyball (audio)
: a molecule of buckminsterfullerene
broadly : fullerene

Examples of buckyball in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Box in a box A first step is mapping where the buckyballs are located. — Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 23 Apr. 2026 To try to coax magnetism out of copper and manganese, scientists turned to a quirky carbon molecule called a buckyball. — Andy Berger, Discover Magazine, 5 Aug. 2015 Chemist Lai-Sheng Wang has been trying to make boron structures similar to those achieved by carbon, like the buckyball, for three decades. — ArsTechnica, 30 June 2026 The spherical buckyball takes the level of curvature to its extreme, which Barron said clearly plays a role in how well the molecules bind. — IEEE Spectrum, 9 Dec. 2014 See All Example Sentences for buckyball

Word History

Etymology

R. Buckminster Fuller + -y entry 4

First Known Use

1985, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of buckyball was in 1985

Rhymes for buckyball

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Browse Nearby Words

bucky-
buckyball
buckytube
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Buckyball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buckyball. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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