halogen

[ hal-uh-juhn, -jen, hey-luh- ]
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nounChemistry.
  1. any of the electronegative elements, fluorine, chlorine, iodine, bromine, and astatine, that form binary salts by direct union with metals.

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Origin of halogen

1
First recorded in 1835–45; halo- + -gen

Other words from halogen

  • ha·log·e·nous [ha-loj-uh-nuhs], /hæˈlɒdʒ ə nəs/, adjective

Words Nearby halogen

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British Dictionary definitions for halogen

halogen

/ (ˈhæləˌdʒɛn) /


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

Origin of halogen

1
C19: from Swedish; see halo-, -gen

Derived forms of halogen

  • halogenoid, adjective
  • halogenous (həˈlɒdʒɪnəs), adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for halogen

halogen

[ hălə-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. See Periodic Table.

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