peroxide
/pəˈɹɑksaɪd/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.13 in modern English
18
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A divalent radical or anion containing two oxygen atoms linked by a covalent bond; any substance containing this group yields hydrogen peroxide when treated with an acid.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
Hydrogen peroxide, especially when in an aqueous solution used as a bleach.
Countable; Uncountable
verb
To treat (something) with hydrogen peroxide, especially hair in order to bleach it.
Transitive verb
Example Sentences
- "Thus far, Dr. Petrakis said, he had found that in women with […] extractable breast fluid, the amount of lipid peroxides in the fluid was on the average seven times higher in Caucasian women than in women of Chinese de[s]cent. In addition, women with cystic breast disease, who face a higher than usual risk of breast cancer, appear to have more peroxides in their breast fluid than women with normal breasts."
- "The O–O bond in benzoyl peroxide and the C–N bonds in AIBN homolyze under thermal or photochemical conditions."
Etymology
Etymology tree English per- 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 English peroxide From per- + oxide.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /pəˈɹɑksaɪd/
- British English: /pəˈɹɒksaɪd/