Oxygen: meaning, definitions and examples

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oxygen

[ ˈɒksɪdʒən ]

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chemical element

Oxygen is a chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group on the periodic table, a highly reactive nonmetal, and an oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements as well as with other compounds.

Synonyms

O2, atomic oxygen, elemental oxygen

Examples of usage

Plants produce oxygen during photosynthesis.
Oxygen is essential for human respiration.
The atmosphere is composed of approximately 21% oxygen.

Translations

Translations of the word "oxygen" in other languages:

🇵🇹 oxigênio

🇮🇳 ऑक्सीजन

🇩🇪 Sauerstoff

🇮🇩 oksigen

🇺🇦 кисень

🇵🇱 tlen

🇯🇵 酸素 (さんそ)

🇫🇷 oxygène

🇪🇸 oxígeno

🇹🇷 oksijen

🇰🇷 산소

🇸🇦 أكسجين

🇨🇿 kyslík

🇸🇰 kyslík

🇨🇳 氧气 (yǎngqì)

🇸🇮 kisik

🇮🇸 súrefni

🇰🇿 оттегі

🇬🇪 ჟანგბადი

🇦🇿 oksigen

🇲🇽 oxígeno

Word origin

The word 'oxygen' comes from the French word 'oxygène' coined in the 18th century by Antoine Lavoisier, from the Greek words 'oxys' (acid) and 'gennan' (to generate). Oxygen was first discovered by Carl Wilhelm Scheele in 1772 and independently by Joseph Priestley in 1774. It plays a vital role in various biological and chemical processes.