What does electronegativity refer to?

Electronegativity specifically refers to an atom's ability to attract and hold on to electrons within a chemical bond. This property is significant in determining how electrons are shared or transferred between atoms when they form bonds. In a covalent bond, for example, a more electronegative atom will pull the shared electrons closer to itself, leading to a polar bond. The concept of electronegativity helps to predict the behavior of atoms in chemical reactions and their tendency to form certain types of bonds based on their relative ability to attract electrons.

The other options describe different properties of atoms. For instance, the ability to lose electrons pertains to metallic character and ionization processes, while the capacity to form bonds can encompass various aspects of chemical bonding without being specific to electronegativity. Ionization energy is related to the energy required to remove an electron from an atom, which is a different concept altogether. Thus, the definition of electronegativity is distinct and crucial for understanding chemical reactivity and bonding.