Peroxyacid

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A chemical acid that carries an additional oxygen atom linked as a peroxide group, making it a stronger oxidizing agent than ordinary acids
2. Any acid whose molecule includes a peroxide linkage, which gives it powerful oxidizing properties used in bleaching and chemical synthesis
3. A compound classed as an acid in which an oxygen-oxygen bond forms part of its structure, enabling strong oxidation reactions

Etymology: Peroxyacid is a plain chemical compound name, built from "peroxy-" and "acid." The prefix "peroxy-" comes from "peroxide," itself formed from "per-" (indicating a high or extra amount of an element) and "oxide," so the name describes an acid carrying more oxygen than an ordinary acid of its type. Peroxyacids contain an oxygen-oxygen bond, the feature that distinguishes them from related acids with a single oxygen atom in that position. The word is a technical coinage from chemistry rather than an older term with a long popular history, so its value lies in the clarity of its parts. Each element of the name points to a specific structural feature, which is typical of the systematic naming used by chemists.