oxidation state

noun Chemistry.

the state of an element or ion in a compound with regard to the electrons gained or lost by the element or ion in the reaction that formed the compound, expressed as a positive or negative number indicating the ionic charge of the element or ion.

Origin of oxidation state

First recorded in 1945–50

Also called oxidation number.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

oxidation number in Science