magnesium oxide

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. magnesia.

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magnesium oxide British  

noun

1. Also called: magnesia.  a white tasteless substance occurring naturally as periclase: used as an antacid and laxative and in refractory materials, such as crucibles and fire bricks. Formula: MgO

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Etymology

Origin of magnesium oxide

First recorded in 1905–10

Compare meaning

How does magnesium-oxide compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• magnesium hydroxide vs. magnesium oxide
• magnesium vs. magnesium oxide
• magnesium oxide vs. magnesium sulfate

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

magnesium oxide

It used magnesium oxide boards, which do not burn, during testing and did not reveal this in marketing literature.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2024

The magnesium formed a thin layer of magnesium oxide on the tantalum surface that appears to keep oxygen from getting through.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 5, 2024

That reaction would leave magnesium oxide powder, which when spread thin would rapidly react with CO2 from the atmosphere, re-forming magnesite, completing a cycle that could be repeated over and over.

From Science Magazine ● Sep. 3, 2020

Is the mass of magnesium oxide less than, greater than, or the same as the original piece of magnesium?

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

The cement shall not contain more than 1.75% of anhydrous sulphuric acid, nor more than 4% of magnesium oxide.

From Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers, vol. LXX, Dec. 1910 Federal Investigations of Mine Accidents, Structural Materials and Fuels. Paper No. 1171 by Wilson, Herbert M.