oxide

American  

[ok-sahyd, -sid] / ˈɒk saɪd, -sɪd /

Also oxid

noun

Chemistry.

1. a compound in which oxygen is bonded to one or more electropositive atoms.

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oxide British  

/ ˈɒksaɪd /

noun

1. any compound of oxygen with another element

2. any organic compound in which an oxygen atom is bound to two alkyl or aryl groups; an ether or epoxide

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oxide Scientific  

/ ŏk′sīd′ /

1. A compound of oxygen and another element or radical. Water (H ₂ O) is an oxide.

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Other Word Forms

• oxidic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of oxide

First recorded in 1780–90; from French (now oxyde ), blend of ox(ygène) oxygen and (ac)ide acid

Example Sentences

Global rare-earth oxide production totaled about 390,000 metric tons in 2025, up from about 124,000 a decade earlier.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

“In the meantime, Iluka should be announcing rare-earths oxide offtake deals from mid-year keeping the REO news flow active,” Ord Minnett says.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

More than 100 maternity staff are taking legal action against a hospital trust after being exposed to "hazardous" levels of nitrous oxide.

From BBC • May 18, 2026

Nitric oxide helps blood vessels relax and expand, an important part of healthy circulation and cardiovascular function.

From Science Daily • May 17, 2026

Fie continued to provide Segre with metal scraps and even acceded to Segre’s request to irradiate a quantity of uranium oxide mailed from Italy so that he could continue searching for nuclear reactions.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik