halogen

American  

[hal-uh-juhn, -jen, hey-luh-] / ˈhæl ə dʒən, -ˌdʒɛn, ˈheɪ lə- /

noun

Chemistry.

1. any of the electronegative elements, fluorine, chlorine, iodine, bromine, and astatine, that form binary salts by direct union with metals.

---

halogen British  

/ ˈhæləˌdʒɛn, həˈlɒdʒɪnəs /

noun

1. any of the chemical elements fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, and astatine. They are all monovalent and readily form negative ions

---

halogen Scientific  

/ hăl′ə-jən /

1. Any of a group of five nonmetallic elements with similar properties. The halogens are fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, and astatine. Because they are missing an electron from their outermost shell, they react readily with most metals to form salts.

2. See Periodic Table

---

Other Word Forms

• halogenoid adjective
• halogenous adjective

Etymology

Origin of halogen

First recorded in 1835–45; halo- + -gen

Compare meaning

How does halogen compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• halide vs. halogen

Example Sentences

The beam is whiter, more focused and brighter than the more diffuse light from halogen lamps fitted in older cars.

From BBC

When illuminated by the microscope's halogen lamp and analyzed through a spectrometer, the light separates into different wavelengths.

From Science Daily

A team from France and Germany has now studied the rapid decay of molecules containing halogens.

From Science Daily

Researchers uncover how the halogen bond can be exploited to direct sequential dynamics in the multi-functional crystals, offering crucial insights for developing ultrafast-response times for multilevel optical storage.

From Science Daily

But suppose you discard — or give away — your halogen and incandescent bulbs.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• bleach
• disinfectant