Photoreductions

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A process involving the use of light to chemically reduce substances in a photographic context
2. The technique whereby light energy causes the conversion of certain compounds to lower oxidation states in imaging techniques
3. Referring to the application of light in reducing chemical species, particularly within the realm of photography and related fields

Etymology: The word is a plural, the form of "photoreduction," which is a compound of two parts that both come from Ancient Greek. The first part, "photo-," comes from the Greek "phōs" (genitive "phōtos"), meaning light, which also gave English "photograph" and related terms. The second part, "reduction," comes from Latin "reductio," a noun from "reducere," to lead back or bring down, and in chemistry it refers to the gain of electrons by a substance. Joined together, "photoreduction" simply means reduction brought about by light, with no special coinage story behind it. The plural form "photoreductions" refers to multiple instances or types of this process, as in discussions of different light-driven chemical reactions.