oxygen - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

Chemical element (edit)
OAtomic number 8oxygen
Classification data Period 2 Group 16 Block p-block Class nonmetal
Previous: ← nitrogen (N)
Next: fluorine (F) →
English Wikipedia article on Oxygen

Ancient Greek ὀξύς (oxús)

Ancient Greek γένος (génos)

English oxygen

Borrowed from French oxygène (originally in the form principe oxygène, a variant of principe oxigine ‘acidifying principle’, suggested by Lavoisier), from Ancient Greek ὀξύς (oxús, “sharp”) + γένος (génos, “birth”), referring to oxygen's supposed role in the formation of acids. By surface analysis, oxy- +‎ -gen.

oxygen (countable and uncountable, plural oxygens)

  1. The chemical element (symbol O) with an atomic number of 8 and relative atomic mass of 15.9994. It is a colorless and odorless gas. Sometimes called elemental oxygen to distinguish it from molecular oxygen.
    Synonyms: (rare) sourstuff, (when used as a packaging gas) E948
    Hypernyms: chalcogen < element
    Holonyms: dioxygen, O₂, oxygen (loose sense)
    By molar fraction, calcium oxide contains equal parts calcium and oxygen.
  2. (loose but very common, even in formal use) Molecular oxygen (O2), a colorless, odorless gas at room temperature.
    Synonyms: dioxygen, O₂
    Meronym: oxygen (strict sense)
    About 21% of the air you breathe is oxygen.
    • 2013 September-October, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist:
      Oxygen levels on Earth skyrocketed 2.4 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria evolved photosynthesis: the ability to convert water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates and waste oxygen using solar energy. The evolutionary precursor of photosynthesis is still under debate, and a new study sheds light.
  3. (medicine) A mixture of oxygen and other gases, administered to a patient to help them breathe.
  4. (countable) An atom of this element.
    • 2013, Spencer L. Seager, Michael R. Slabaugh, Chemistry for Today: General, Organic, and Biochemistry, page 479:
      Look first at any structure to see if there is a carbon with two oxygens attached. Hemiacetals, hemiketals, acetals, and ketals are all alike in that regard.
  5. (figurative) A condition or environment in which something can thrive.
    Silence is the oxygen of shame.
    They hoped to starve the terrorists of the oxygen of publicity.
    • 2025 June 2, Adrian Horton, “Tech-bro satire Mountainhead is an insufferable disappointment”, in The Guardian‎[1], →ISSN:
      . I found myself longing for more than two minutes with the girlfriend, the ex-wife, the assistant, the board member, let alone one of the many staff at the house – anyone to de-center a perspective that has already claimed far too much oxygen in the public sphere.

chemical element

molecular oxygen

atom of oxygen

Chemical element (edit)
OAtomic number 8oxygen
Alternative names: ilt
Classification data Period 2 Group 16 Block p-block Class nonmetal
Previous: ← kvælstof, nitrogen (N)
Next: fluor (F) →

From Ancient Greek ὀξύς (oxús) +‎ -gen.

oxygen n (singular definite oxygenet or oxygenen, not used in plural form)

  1. oxygen
    Synonym: ilt

oxygen (strong nominative masculine singular oxygener, not comparable)

  1. (chemistry) oxygenic
    Antonym: anoxygen
    oxygene Photosynthese ― oxygenic photosynthesis

Positive forms of oxygen (uncomparable)

Borrowed from French oxygène.

oxygen n

  1. (rare) oxygen
    Synonyms: syre, syrgas
    • 2022 December 7, Inga Korsbäck, “Ökade lager av syrgas på sjukhusen i Västmanland – insåg behovet under pandemin [Increased stocks of oxygen at the hospitals in Västmanland - realized the need during the pandemic.]”, in Sveriges Radio P4:
      När pandemin tog fart våren 2020 var Region Västmanlands beredskap god när det gäller medicinska gaser som syrgas (oxygen). Redan i april 2020 fanns en extra tank flytande oxygen på plats på sjukhusområdet i Västerås och man klarar i dag Socialstyrelsens skärpta krav.
      When the pandemic gained momentum in the spring of 2020, Region Västmanland's preparedness was good concerning medical gases like oxygen. Already in April 2020, there was an additional tank of liquid oxygen in place at the hospital area in Västerås, and today they meet the stricter requirements set by the National Board of Health and Welfare.