What does "oxygen" mean?

1. (the gas we breathe) the gas in the air that you need to breathe to stay alive. 2. (the chemical element) the chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. 3. (support for an idea) the things or attention that an idea or project needs to grow and succeed.

How do you use "oxygen"?

Uncountable when referring to the gas in general; countable only in technical chemical contexts referring to specific atoms.

oxygen

US //ˈɑksədʒən// UK //ˈɒksɪdʒən// oxy·gen

1 the gas we breathe (n.)
B1 Intermediate Science

the gas in the air that you need to breathe to stay alive.

the molecular form of the element (O₂) which constitutes approximately 21 percent of the Earth's atmosphere and is vital for life.

Example

The doctor gave the patient some oxygen to help him breathe more easily.

Example

Plants produce oxygen during photosynthesis, which is then released into the atmosphere and used by animals for cellular respiration.

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the gas in general; countable only in technical chemical contexts referring to specific atoms.
2 the chemical element (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Science

the chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8.

the chemical element with atomic number 8; it is the most abundant element by mass in the Earth's crust.

Example

Water is made of two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen.

Example

The researcher analyzed the isotopes of oxygen found within the ice core samples to determine historical temperature fluctuations.

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3 support for an idea (n.)
C1 Advanced Literary

the things or attention that an idea or project needs to grow and succeed.

the metaphorical 'air' or support required for an idea, movement, or person to flourish or remain relevant.

Example

The new law gave the small business community the oxygen it needed to grow.

Example

By refusing to debate the extremist group, the prime minister denied them the oxygen of publicity they so desperately craved.

Origin

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 oxygènebor. English oxygen Borrowed from French oxygène (originally in the form principe oxygène, a variant of principe oxigine ‘acidifying principle’, suggested by Lavoisier), from Ancient Greek ὀξύς (oxús, “sharp”) + γένος (génos, “birth”), referring to oxygen's supposed role in the formation of acids. By surface analysis, oxy- + -gen.

Word family

Nounhypoxia
Nounoxygen

Idioms1 entry

01
oxygen burning
The nucleosynthesis process, subsequent to carbon burning, in which neon disintegrates to oxygen which subsequently fuses to form silicon, phosphorus sulfur and other elements of atomic number up to 40.