Standard Lemma guide

oxidize

verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈɒksɪdaɪz/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: AA1 K S AH0 D AY2 Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To combine with oxygen or otherwise make an oxide.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To increase the valence (or the positive charge) of an element by removing electrons.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To coat something with an oxide.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To become oxidized.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

add oxygen to or combine with oxygen

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: oxidise, oxidate

Antonyms: deoxidize

Broader terms: change, alter, modify

Narrower terms: catabolize, catabolise, breathe

6

verb

Meaning 6

enter into a combination with oxygen or become converted into an oxide

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • This metal oxidizes easily

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: oxidise, oxidate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change

Narrower terms: rust

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h2eḱ-der.? Ancient Greek ὀξύς (oxús) Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh1- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *ǵénh1os Proto-Hellenic *génos Ancient Greek γένος (génos) French oxygène Proto-Indo-European *h2eḱ- Proto-Indo-European *-éh1ti Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éh1yeti Proto-Indo-European *h2eḱéh1yeti Proto-Italic *akēō Latin aceō Proto-Indo-European *dheh1-der. Proto-Italic *-iðos Latin -idus Latin acidusbor. French acide blend French oxidebor. English oxide Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English oxidize From oxide + -ize.

Across languages

Translations

48 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: окислявам (okisljavam) — to combine with oxygen
  • Bulgarian: окисля (okislja) — to combine with oxygen
  • Catalan: oxidar — to combine with oxygen
  • Czech: oxidovat — to combine with oxygen
  • Finnish: hapettaa — to combine with oxygen
  • French: oxyder — to combine with oxygen
  • German: oxidieren — to combine with oxygen
  • Hungarian: oxidál — to combine with oxygen
  • Italian: ossidare — to combine with oxygen
  • Kazakh: қышқылдандыру (qyşqyldandyru) — to combine with oxygen
  • Kazakh: тотықтандыру (totyqtandyru) — to combine with oxygen
  • Kyrgyz: кычкылдатуу (kıckıldatuu) — to combine with oxygen
  • Persian: اکسیدن (oksidan) — to combine with oxygen
  • Polish: utleniać — to combine with oxygen
  • Polish: utlenić — to combine with oxygen
  • Portuguese: oxidar — to combine with oxygen
  • Romanian: oxida — to combine with oxygen
  • Romanian: oxigena — to combine with oxygen
  • Spanish: oxidar — to combine with oxygen
  • Turkish: okside etmek — to combine with oxygen
  • Turkish: oksitlemek — to combine with oxygen
  • Turkish: yükseltgemek — to combine with oxygen
  • Vietnamese: làm gỉ — to combine with oxygen
  • Vietnamese: oxy hoá — to combine with oxygen
  • Bulgarian: окислявам (okisljavam) — to increase the valence
  • Bulgarian: окисля (okislja) — to increase the valence
  • Chinese Mandarin: 氧化 (yǎnghuà) — to increase the valence
  • Danish: oxidere — to increase the valence
  • Finnish: hapettaa — to increase the valence
  • Hebrew: חִמְצֵן (ẖimtzén) — to increase the valence
  • Polish: utlenić — to increase the valence
  • Polish: utleniać — to increase the valence
  • Portuguese: oxidar — to increase the valence
  • Bulgarian: оксидирам (oksidiram) — to coat something with an oxide
  • Finnish: hapettaa — to coat something with an oxide
  • Portuguese: oxidar — to coat something with an oxide
  • Bulgarian: окислявам се (okisljavam se) — to become oxidized
  • Bulgarian: окисля се (okislja se) — to become oxidized
  • Finnish: hapettua — to become oxidized
  • Hungarian: oxidálódik — to become oxidized
  • Italian: ossidarsi — to become oxidized
  • Kyrgyz: кычкылдануу (kıckıldanuu) — to become oxidized
  • Portuguese: oxidar — to become oxidized
  • Romanian: oxida — to become oxidized
  • Turkish: okside olmak — to become oxidized
  • Turkish: oksitlenmek — to become oxidized
  • Turkish: yükseltgenmek — to become oxidized
  • Vietnamese: oxy hoá — to become oxidized