autoxidizer
|au-tox-i-diz-er|
🇺🇸
/ˌɔːtoʊˈɑksɪdeɪzər/
🇬🇧
/ˌɔːtəʊˈɒksɪdeɪzə/
self-oxidizing agent
Etymology
'autoxidizer' originates from a combination of the prefix 'auto-' (from Greek 'autós', meaning 'self') and the verb 'oxidize' (from French 'oxider' ultimately from Greek 'oxýs', meaning 'sharp' or 'acid', later associated with oxygen).
'oxidize' entered English via French 'oxider' in the 18th–19th century; the combining form 'auto-' (from Greek) was attached to form 'autoxidation' and related derivatives such as 'autoxidizer' in technical chemical usage in the 19th–20th century.
Initially the roots conveyed 'self' and the idea of 'acid/sharp' (from 'oxýs'); over time the combined term has come to mean 'self-oxidizing' or 'causing self-oxidation' in modern chemical contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a substance that undergoes autoxidation — i.e., that is readily oxidized by molecular oxygen in air without an external oxidizing agent.
The autoxidizer in the polymer caused discoloration and brittleness after prolonged exposure to air.
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Noun 2
a substance or agent that promotes or initiates autoxidation in other materials (e.g., a catalyst or impurity that accelerates oxidation by air).
Trace metals can act as autoxidizers, accelerating the degradation of stored oils.
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Last updated: 2025/11/29 18:38