oxidize

ox·i·dize

verb

ox·i·dized also British ox·i·disedox·i·diz·ing also British ox·i·dis·ing

Definition of OXIDIZE

transitive verb

1

: to combine with oxygen

2

: to dehydrogenate especially by the action of oxygen

3

: to change (a compound) by increasing the proportion of the electronegative part or change (an element or ion) from a lower to a higher positive valence : remove one or more electrons from (an atom, ion, or molecule)

intransitive verb

: to become oxidized

—ox·i·diz·able \-ˌdī-zə-bəl\ adjective

Variants of OXIDIZE

ox·i·dize also British ox·i·dise \ˈäk-sə-ˌdīz\