Oxygen

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɒksɪd͡ʒən/

Definitions

1. A colorless, odorless gas essential for most living organisms to breathe and for combustion to occur
2. A vital chemical element that supports life by being a key component of cellular respiration and combustion processes
3. This indispensable gas, crucial for aerobic organisms, is a byproduct of photosynthesis and supports fire

Etymology: Antoine Lavoisier, the French chemist, gave oxygen its name, and his first choice was not quite the word we use. He proposed a phrase, "principe oxygène," built on a term meaning "acidifying principle," because he believed this gas was the essential ingredient in every acid. The belief was mistaken, but the name stuck in the shortened form "oxygène." The word is built from two Ancient Greek elements. "Oxys" meant "sharp" or "acid," the sourness of vinegar and lemons, and "genos" meant "birth" or "origin." Together they described something that generates acidity. Lavoisier's theory was that oxygen was the source of sharpness in acids, so the name reflected a chemical claim rather than a description of breathing. English took the word from French, and the modern spelling has held firm since. Its later shape in English, "oxy-" plus "-gen," reflects how the parts are split when people read the word, even though the original Greek sense of acid-making remains buried inside it.

Synonyms: O2