Unoxidized

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Not altered or chemically changed by oxygen; remaining in a state free from oxidation effects; lacking the usual oxygen-induced changes
2. Existing without having undergone any reaction with oxygen; preserving its original chemical state unmixed with oxygen; not affected by oxidative processes
3. Retaining its initial composition without interaction with oxygen molecules; unchanged by exposure to oxygen; free from the transformation caused by oxidation reactions

Etymology: The prefix "un-" is one of the oldest building blocks in English. It descends from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "not," which passed through Proto-Germanic and Old English and has stayed in the language ever since, so it is far older than the chemistry that gives this word its sense. That chemistry comes from "oxidized," the past-participle form of "oxidize," which describes a substance that has combined with oxygen and so changed. Put together, "unoxidized" is a plain negation of that change. It describes something that has not reacted with oxygen, such as a metal surface that has kept its original sheen or a fruit slice that has not browned. The word is a transparent compound, so its meaning follows directly from its two parts: the prefix reverses the sense of the base word, and the base word carries the chemical idea.

Synonyms: nonoxidized, unrusted, unoxidised, fresh, pristine

Antonyms: oxidized, rusted, corroded, tarnished, weathered