oxygen

[ ok-si-juhn ]

nounChemistry.

a colorless, odorless, gaseous element constituting about one-fifth of the volume of the atmosphere and present in a combined state in nature. It is the supporter of combustion in air and was the standard of atomic, combining, and molecular weights until 1961, when carbon 12 became the new standard. Symbol: O; atomic weight: 15.9994; atomic number: 8; density: 1.4290 grams/liter at 0°C and 760 millimeter pressure.

Origin of oxygen

First recorded in 1780–90; from French oxygène, equivalent to oxy- + -gène; see origin at oxy-¹, -gen

Other words from oxygen

ox·y·gen·ic [ok-si-jen-ik], /ˌɒk sɪˈdʒɛn ɪk/, ox·yg·e·nous [ok-sij-uh-nuhs], /ɒkˈsɪdʒ ə nəs/, adjective
ox·y·gen·ic·i·ty [ok-si-juh-nis-i-tee], /ˌɒk sɪ dʒəˈnɪs ɪ ti/, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

British Dictionary definitions for oxygen

oxygen

/ (ˈɒksɪdʒən) /

noun

- a colourless odourless highly reactive gaseous element: the most abundant element in the earth's crust (49.2 per cent). It is essential for aerobic respiration and almost all combustion and is widely used in industry. Symbol: O; atomic no: 8; atomic wt: 15.9994; valency: 2; density: 1.429 kg/m³; melting pt: –218.79°C; boiling pt: –182.97°C
- (as modifier): an oxygen mask

Derived forms of oxygen

oxygenic (ˌɒksɪˈdʒɛnɪk) or oxygenous (ɒkˈsɪdʒɪnəs), adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for oxygen

oxygen

[ ŏk′sĭ-jən ]

A nonmetallic element that exists in its free form as a colorless, odorless gas and makes up about 21 percent of the Earth's atmosphere. It is the most abundant element in the Earth's crust and occurs in many compounds, including water, carbon dioxide, and iron ore. Oxygen combines with most elements, is required for combustion, and is essential for life in most organisms. Atomic number 8; atomic weight 15.9994; melting point -218.8°C; boiling point -182.9°C; gas density at 0°C 1.429 grams per liter; valence 2. See Periodic Table.

word history

In 1786, the French chemist Antoine Lavoisier coined a term for the element oxygen (oxygène in French). He used Greek words for the coinage: oxy- means sharp, and -gen means producing. Oxygen was called the sharp-producing element because it was thought to be essential for making acids. Lavoisier also coined the name of the element hydrogen, the water-producing element, in 1788. Soon after, in 1791, another French chemist, J. A. Chaptal, introduced the word nitrogen, the niter-producing element, referring to its discovery from an analysis of nitric acid.

Cultural definitions for oxygen

oxygen

An element, normally a gas, that makes up about one-fifth of the atmosphere of the Earth. Oxygen is usually found as a molecule made up of two atoms. Its symbol is O.

Notes for oxygen

When we breathe in oxygen, it is carried by the hemoglobin in our blood throughout the body, where it is used to generate energy by oxidation. (See respiration.)

Notes for oxygen

Oxygen is a waste product of green plants and photosynthesis.

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