hydrogenate

verb

hy·​dro·​ge·​nate hī-ˈdrä-jə-ˌnāt How to pronounce hydrogenate (audio)
ˈhī-drə-
hydrogenated; hydrogenating

transitive verb

: to combine or treat with or expose to hydrogen
especially : to add hydrogen to the molecule of (an unsaturated organic compound)
hydrogenation noun

Examples of hydrogenate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web And scan the nutrition labels and avoid peanut butters that have hydrogenated oils, which are unhealthy fats that are added to keep peanut butter from separating or going bad quickly, Sasson says. Sophia Gottfried, Time, 23 May 2018 These days, many try to avoid white bread and hydrogenated fats. Smithsonian, 4 Nov. 2017 Our pomades contain pure ingredients such as bentonite, which is mineral enriching for the hair, and hydrogenated castor oil, which works as a non-sticky wax to hold shape. Scott Christian, Esquire, 3 Mar. 2017 Although Trader Joe's doesn't label itself as a health food store, none of its private-label products have hydrogenated oils, artificial flavors, preservatives, synthetic colors or GMOs. Lucy Berry, AL.com, 19 July 2017 All of the produce is organic, the dairy products pasture based, the eggs from free-range chickens, the meat antibiotic-free and all food free of artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, preservatives, and hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. Emilie Rusch, The Denver Post, 31 May 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hydrogenate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1809, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hydrogenate was in 1809

Dictionary Entries Near hydrogenate

Cite this Entry

“Hydrogenate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hydrogenate. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

hydrogenate

verb
hy·​dro·​ge·​nate hī-ˈdräj-ə-ˌnāt How to pronounce hydrogenate (audio)
ˈhī-drə-jə-
hydrogenated; hydrogenating
: to combine or treat with hydrogen
especially : to add hydrogen to a molecule of
hydrogenate a vegetable oil to form a fat
hydrogenation noun

Medical Definition

hydrogenate

transitive verb
hy·​dro·​ge·​nate hī-ˈdräj-ə-ˌnāt How to pronounce hydrogenate (audio) ˈhī-drə-jə- How to pronounce hydrogenate (audio)
hydrogenated; hydrogenating
: to combine or treat with or expose to hydrogen
especially : to add hydrogen to the molecule of (an unsaturated organic compound)
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!