Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense oxidizes, present participle oxidizing, past tense, past participle oxidizedregional note: in BRIT, also use oxidise
verb
When a substance is oxidized or when it oxidizes, it changes chemically because of the effect of oxygen on it.
Aluminium is rapidly oxidized in air. [beVERB-ed]
The original white lead pigments have oxidized and turned black. [VERB]
oxidize in British English
or oxidise (ˈɒksɪˌdaɪz)
verb
1.
to undergo or cause to undergo a chemical reaction with oxygen, as in formation of an oxide
2.
to form or cause to form a layer of metal oxide, as in rusting
3.
to lose or cause to lose hydrogen atoms
4.
to undergo or cause to undergo a decrease in the number of electrons
Compare reduce (sense 12c)
Derived forms
oxidization (ˌoxidiˈzation) or oxidisation (ˌoxidiˈsation)
noun
oxidize in American English
(ˈɑksɪˌdaɪz)
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈoxiˌdized or ˈoxiˌdizing
1.
to unite with oxygen, as in burning or rusting
2.
to increase the positive valence or decrease the negative valence of (an element or ion)
3.
to remove electrons from (an atom or ion)
verb intransitive
4.
to become oxidized
Derived forms
oxidizable (ˈoxiˌdizable)
adjective
oxidizer (ˈoxiˌdizer)
noun
Word origin
oxide + -ize
In other languages
oxidize
British English: oxidize VERB
When a substance is oxidized or when it oxidizes, it changes chemically because of the effect of oxygen on it.