Oxidating

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Combining chemically with oxygen, or losing electrons during a reaction, as when a metal gradually turns to rust
2. Undergoing a chemical process in which a substance reacts with oxygen or gives up electrons to another substance
3. Reacting with oxygen so that the material changes its chemical makeup, as iron does when it corrodes in damp air

Etymology: "Oxidating" is the present participle and gerund of "oxidate," a verb formed from "oxide" and the verb-forming suffix "-ate." The "oxide" part is the more surprising piece. The French word "oxide" was a blend of "oxygène" and "acide," so it carries two ancestors at once. "Oxygène" draws on Ancient Greek "oxús," meaning sharp or acid, and "génos," meaning birth or origin. "Acide" comes from Latin "acidus," which gives English "acid." The verb "oxidate" thus rests on Greek and Latin roots that were combined in French before reaching English.