[die-VAY-lent] Having a valence of two, such as the ferrous ion, Fe2+.

In chemistry, divalent anions are atoms or radicals with 2 additional electrons when compared to their elemental state (that is, with 2 more electrons than protons); for instance, S-- is the sulfide anion. Conversely, a cation is missing some electrons as compared with the neutral atom. Example: iron(II) or Fe++ is the divalent cationic form of iron.