Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "electronegative" shine "samun dabi'ar jawo hankalin electrons zuwa kanta a cikin haɗin sunadarai." Ma’ana, zarra ko kwayoyin halitta na electronegative yana da mafi girman jan hankali ga electrons fiye da sauran atom ko kwayoyin halittar da aka haɗe su da su, wanda zai iya haifar da rashin daidaiton rabon electrons a cikin haɗin haɗin gwiwa. Ana ƙayyade electronegativity na zarra ne ta hanyar lambar atomic ɗinsa, tsarin lantarki, da nau'in haɗin sinadarai da yake samarwa.