oxygen

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   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.

   Holonyms: dioxygen, O₂, oxygen (loose sense)

2. 2
   noun

   Molecular oxygen (O₂), a colorless, odorless gas at room temperature.

   Meronym: oxygen (strict sense)

3. 3
   noun

   An atom of this element.

   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.

4. 4
   noun

   A condition or environment in which something can thrive.

   Silence is the oxygen of shame.

5. 5
   noun

   a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas

6. 6
   noun

   A mixture of oxygen and other gases, administered to a patient to help them breathe.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ-der.? Ancient Greek ὀξύς (oxús) Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *ǵénh₁os Proto-Hellenic *génos Ancient Greek γένος (génos) French oxygènebor. 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.