halogen
n.n. a group of chemical elements that are very reactive and often used in things like light bulbs and cleaning products. They include elements like fluorine, chlorine, and iodine.
n. any of the elements in group 17 of the periodic table, characterized by high reactivity and the tendency to form salts. Includes fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, and astatine.
Chlorine is a common halogen used for disinfecting water.
The chemist explained that halogens are highly reactive and must be handled with care in the laboratory.
The unique electronic configuration of halogens allows them to readily accept an additional electron, making them powerful oxidizing agents in various industrial applications.
From Ancient Greek ἅλς (háls, “salt" or "sea”) + γεν- (gen-), "to produce" (coined by Berzelius in 1842). By surface analysis, halo- (“salt”) + -gen (“forming”).