hydrogenate

American  

[hahy-druh-juh-nayt, 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

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Etymology

Origin of hydrogenate

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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hydrogenate hydrogenated hydrogenating

“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

They occur naturally in the milk of animals such as cows, sheep, and goats, but they can also be produced artificially during the manufacture of partially hydrogenated fats.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026

These foods don’t resemble their raw ingredients and are typically high in high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, synthetic preservatives, artificial flavors, emulsifiers and other additives not found in raw, whole foods.

From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2024

Most oils hail from natural plant sources, but labs manufacture hydrogenated vegetable oils.

From Seattle Times ● May 2, 2024

Partially hydrogenated oils are found in ultra-processed foods like margarine, vegetable shortening, coffee creamers, packaged snacks, baked foods, ready-to-use dough and fried foods, according to Healthline.

From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2023

Among them are the corn-fed chicken itself; modified cornstarch; mono-, tri-, and diglycerides; dextrose; lecithin; yellow corn flour; regular cornstarch; vegetable shortening; partially hydrogenated corn oil.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan

"This results in the synthesis of single-phase hydride thin films by fully hydrogenating the metal atoms that naturally tend to persist in the film."

From Science Daily ● May 16, 2024

It has previously been pointed out that potassium stearate forms an ideal lather for shaving, and in the hydrogenating process the olein is converted to stearine.

From Soap-Making Manual A Practical Handbook on the Raw Materials, Their Manipulation, Analysis and Control in the Modern Soap Plant. by E. G. Thomssen

Thus fish or train oils which had up to the time of oil hydrogenating resisted all attempts of being permanently deodorized, can now be employed very satisfactorily for soap manufacture.

From Soap-Making Manual A Practical Handbook on the Raw Materials, Their Manipulation, Analysis and Control in the Modern Soap Plant. by E. G. Thomssen

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