I. ˈklaˌthrāt, -_thrə̇t adjective
Etymology: Latin clathratus, past participle of clathrare to furnish with lattice, from clathri lattice, from Greek klēthra, plural of klēthron, kleithron bar, from kleiein to shut — more at close
1. biology : shaped like a lattice : cancellate
2. : relating to a type of solid molecular compound in which one component (as argon or heptane) is trapped in cavities of cagelike crystals of another component (as hydroquinone or urea)
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: clathrate , adjective
: a clathrate compound