Showing results for oxidation state. Search instead for Oxidation+State.

oxidation state

American

noun

Chemistry.

the state of an element or ion in a compound with regard to the electrons gained or lost by the element or ion in the reaction that formed the compound, expressed as a positive or negative number indicating the ionic charge of the element or ion.

oxidation state Scientific

See valence

Etymology

Origin of oxidation state

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

oxidation state

"Uranium usually occurs with a valency of 4 or 6. Pentavalent uranium does exist, but it is rare or only transient. Until now, it had been seen in an unstable oxidation state," explains Newman-Portela.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026

To stabilize these ceramics, manganese and iron atoms must remain in the 2+ oxidation state, forming what is known as a rock salt structure where each atom bonds with only two oxygen atoms.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 4, 2025

To verify that manganese and iron truly remained in the intended oxidation state, Almishal collaborated with researchers at Virginia Tech.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 4, 2025

Most mercury compounds contain mercury with a 2+- oxidation state.

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

In chemical reactions, these metals readily lose both valence electrons to form compounds in which they exhibit an oxidation state of 2+.

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023