oxygen
nouncommon in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈɒksɪd͡ʒən//
- United States//ˈɑksɪd͡ʒən//
- United States//ˈɑksəd͡ʒən//
- Australia//ˈɔksɪd͡ʒən//
The chemical element (symbol O) with an atomic number of 8 and relative atomic mass of 15.9994. It is a colorless and odorless gas. Sometimes called elemental oxygen to distinguish it from molecular oxygen.
noun
- 1
The chemical element (symbol O) with an atomic number of 8 and relative atomic mass of 15.9994. It is a colorless and odorless gas. Sometimes called elemental oxygen to distinguish it from molecular oxygen.
Holonyms: dioxygen, O₂, oxygen (loose sense)
By molar fraction, calcium oxide contains equal parts calcium and oxygen.
- 2
Molecular oxygen (O₂), a colorless, odorless gas at room temperature.
Meronym: oxygen (strict sense)
About 21% of the air you breathe is oxygen.
Oxygen levels on Earth skyrocketed 2.4 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria evolved photosynthesis: the ability to convert water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates and waste oxygen using solar energy. The evolutionary precursor of photosynthesis is still under debate, and a new study sheds light.
- 3
A mixture of oxygen and other gases, administered to a patient to help them breathe.
- 4
An atom of this element.
Look first at any structure to see if there is a carbon with two oxygens attached. Hemiacetals, hemiketals, acetals, and ketals are all alike in that regard.
- 5
figurativeA condition or environment in which something can thrive.
Silence is the oxygen of shame.
They hoped to starve the terrorists of the oxygen of publicity.
. I found myself longing for more than two minutes with the girlfriend, the ex-wife, the assistant, the board member, let alone one of the many staff at the house – anyone to de-center a perspective that has already claimed far too much oxygen in the public sphere.
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ-der.? Ancient Greek ὀξύς (oxús) Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *ǵénh₁os Proto-Hellenic *génos Ancient Greek γένος (génos) French oxygènebor. English oxygen Borrowed from French oxygène (originally in the form principe oxygène, a variant of principe oxigine ‘acidifying principle’, suggested by Lavoisier), from Ancient Greek ὀξύς (oxús, “sharp”) + γένος (génos, “birth”), referring to oxygen's supposed role in the formation of acids. By surface analysis, oxy- + -gen.
Forms
- plural
- oxygens
oxygen · The chemical element (symbol O) with an atomic number of 8 and relative atomic mass of 15.9994. It is a colorless and odorless gas. Sometimes called…
oy · An exclamation typically expressing mild frustration or…oyster · Any of certain marine bivalve mollusks, especially those of…Oyster · A surname.