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

It produced 40,000 metric tons of rare earth oxide in 2025.

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

Entonox is a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen that is used as pain relief for women giving birth.

From BBC • May 18, 2026

Two toxic air contaminants present in California’s ambient air, acrolein and ethylene oxide, appear to be much stronger carcinogens than previously known, California environmental health officials announced Thursday.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 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