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oxygen

Oxygen is a colorless and odorless gas that people need to breath.

(noun)

An example of oxygen is the colorless and odorless gas that you breath in every day.

See oxygen in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

a colorless, odorless, tasteless, gaseous chemical element that occurs free in the atmosphere, forming one fifth of its volume, and in combination in water, sandstone, limestone, etc.: it is very active, combines with nearly all other elements, is the most common element in the earth's crust, and is essential to life processes and to combustion: symbol, O; at. no., 8

Origin: Fr oxygène, altered (1786) < earlier oxygine, lit., acid-producing: so named (1777) by Antoine Laurent Lavoisier < Gr oxys (see oxy-) + L gignere, to beget (see genus): from the belief that oxygen is present in all acids

Related Forms:

oxygenic adjective or oxygenous

See oxygen in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun Symbol O

A nonmetallic element constituting 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume that occurs as a diatomic gas, O₂, and in many compounds such as water and iron ore. It combines with most elements, is essential for plant and animal respiration, and is required for nearly all combustion. Atomic number 8; atomic weight 15.9994; melting point -218.4°C; boiling point -183.0°C; gas density at 0°C 1.429 grams per liter; valence 2. See Table at element.

Origin:

Origin: French oxygène

Origin: : Greek oxus, sharp, acid; see ak- in Indo-European roots

Origin: + French -gène, -gen

Related Forms: