carbon dioxide

noun

: a heavy colorless gas CO₂ that does not support combustion, dissolves in water to form carbonic acid, is formed especially in animal respiration and in the decay or combustion of animal and vegetable matter, is absorbed from the air by plants in photosynthesis, and is used in the carbonation of beverages

Examples of carbon dioxide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Air conditioners use about 6% of all electricity produced in the U.S. and account for the release of 117 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. —Jamie Ducharme, TIME, 12 June 2024

Humanity spews nearly 40 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide each year through the burning of fossil fuels. —Chelsea Harvey, Scientific American, 9 June 2024

Oxfam estimates that the 127-meter (416-foot) vessel has emitted 7,000 tons of carbon dioxide over the past year, an amount equal to the annual emissions of 445 average Americans. —Eva Roytburg, Fortune Europe, 9 June 2024

The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is measured in parts per million, and measurements are taken at an observatory in Hawaii. —Rebecca Hersher, NPR, 7 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

carbon dioxide

noun

: a heavy colorless gas CO₂ that is formed especially by the burning and breaking down of organic substances (as in animal respiration), is absorbed from the air by plants in photosynthesis, and has many industrial uses

Medical Definition

carbon dioxide

noun

: a heavy colorless gas CO₂ that does not support combustion, dissolves in water to form carbonic acid, is formed especially in animal respiration and in the decay or combustion of animal and vegetable matter, is absorbed from the air by plants in photosynthesis, and is used in the carbonation of beverages