What do you call a molecule that consists of more than one element?

A molecule that consists of more than one element is referred to as a compound. Compounds are formed when two or more different elements chemically bond together. For example, water is a compound made up of hydrogen and oxygen atoms. The specific arrangement and types of atoms in a compound give it unique properties that differ from those of individual elements.

In contrast, an atom is the smallest unit of matter that retains the properties of an element, and each element consists of only one type of atom. A molecule is a broader term that can refer to both compounds (which have different elements) and diatomic molecules (like O2, which consists of two atoms of the same element). Therefore, while all compounds are molecules, not all molecules are compounds; the defining characteristic of a compound is that it includes more than one element.