ionize

American  

[ahy-uh-nahyz] / ˈaɪ əˌnaɪz /

especially British, ionise

verb (used with object)

ionized, ionizing

1. to separate or change into ions.

2. to produce ions in.

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verb (used without object)

ionized, ionizing

1. to become changed into the form of ions, as by dissolving.

ionize British  

/ ˈaɪəˌnaɪz /

verb

1. to change or become changed into ions

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ionize Scientific  

/ ī′ə-nīz′ /

1. To give an atom or group of atoms a net electric charge by adding or removing one or more electrons.

2. To form ions in a substance. Lightning ionizes air, for example.

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Other Word Forms

• ionizable adjective
• ionization noun
• ionizer noun
• nonionized adjective
• nonionizing adjective
• self-ionization noun
• unionized adjective
• ununionized adjective

Etymology

Origin of ionize

First recorded in 1895–1900; ion + -ize

Example Sentences

“If one human absorbs a bit of ionizing radiation, then this bit of radiation is no longer available to affect another human,” he wrote in an email.

From Seattle Times

The device relies on enormous superconducting magnets to hold the ionized gas, or plasma, in a doughnut-shaped vessel while it is heated with microwaves and particle beams.

From Science Magazine

This ionized gas is the fourth state of matter, one we encounter in our daily lives a lot less than solids, liquids or more familiar gases.

From Scientific American

“Roughly half of these swift-moving meteors leave persistent trains — ionized gas trails that glow for a few seconds after the meteor has passed.”

From Seattle Times

Most publicly funded efforts have focused on tokamaks, which use powerful magnetic fields to imprison ionized gas in a doughnut-shaped vessel, where the plasma can be heated with microwaves and particle beams.

From Science Magazine