hydrogenate

American  

[hahy-druh-juh-neyt, hahy-droj-uh-] / ˈhaɪ drə dʒəˌneɪt, haɪˈdrɒdʒ ə- /

verb (used with object)

hydrogenated, hydrogenating

1. to combine or treat with hydrogen, especially to add hydrogen to the molecule of (an unsaturated organic compound).

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hydrogenate British  

/ haɪˈdrɒdʒɪˌneɪt, ˈhaɪdrədʒɪˌneɪt /

verb

1. to undergo or cause to undergo a reaction with hydrogen

   to hydrogenate ethylene

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hydrogenate Scientific  

/ hī′drə-jə-nāt′,hī-drŏj′ə-nāt′ /

1. To treat or combine chemically an unsaturated compound with hydrogen. Liquid vegetable oils are often hydrogenated to turn them into solids.

2. To turn coal into oil by combining its carbon with hydrogen to form hydrocarbons.

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Other Word Forms

• hydrogenation
  noun
• hydrogenator
  noun

Etymology

Origin of hydrogenate

First recorded in 1800–10; hydrogen + -ate ¹

Example Sentences

“The purpose of life,” meeting co-organizer and Caltech cosmologist Sean Carroll said in his opening remarks, “is to hydrogenate carbon dioxide.”

From Scientific American • Sep. 24, 2011