oxidation-reduction
|ox-i-da-tion-re-duc-tion|
🇺🇸
/ˌɑksɪˈdeɪʃən rɪˈdʌkʃən/
🇬🇧
/ˌɒksɪˈdeɪʃən rɪˈdʌkʃən/
electron transfer processes
Etymology
'oxidation-reduction' is formed in modern English from the two compounds 'oxidation' and 'reduction'. 'Oxidation' ultimately comes from French/Modern Latin 'oxygène'/'oxygenium' (from Greek 'oxys' meaning 'sharp' or 'acid' and '-genes' meaning 'producer'), coined in the late 18th century in chemistry; 'reduction' originates from Latin 'reducere' meaning 'to lead back'.
'Oxidation' was coined in the 18th century in the context of combining with oxygen (Lavoisier); 'reduction' was used in classical chemistry to mean removal of oxygen or addition of hydrogen. In the 20th century the combined concept was commonly termed 'oxidation–reduction' and later abbreviated to 'redox'.
Initially, 'oxidation' meant combination with oxygen and 'reduction' meant removal of oxygen (or gain of hydrogen). Over time, with advances in chemistry and electrochemistry, their meanings shifted to the more general concepts of electron loss (oxidation) and electron gain (reduction), which is how they are used in modern contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a chemical process in which one species loses electrons (oxidation) and another gains electrons (reduction); a redox reaction describing electron transfer and associated changes in oxidation states.
The corrosion of iron is an oxidation-reduction process in which iron is oxidized and oxygen is reduced.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the overall category of reactions or processes (including electrochemical reactions) that involve transfer of electrons or changes in oxidation number.
In electrochemistry, oxidation-reduction reactions at the electrodes generate current.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/17 10:08