oxygen

noun, often attributive

ox·y·gen | \ ˈäk-si-jən

Definition of oxygen

1 : a chemical element that constitues 21 percent of the Earth's atmosphere, that is capable of combining with all elements except some noble gases, that is active in physiological processes of almost all known organisms, and that is involved especially in combustion — see Chemical Elements Table

2 : something that sustains or fuels disagreement is the true oxygen of these magazines— Joseph Epstein

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Examples of oxygen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And since oats also contain iron (a mineral which helps deliver oxygen to red blood cells) and magnesium (which aids nerve and muscle function), oatmeal is my go-to recommendation for endurance athletes looking to maximize their stamina. — Good Housekeeping, "4 Reasons Why Oatmeal Is the Ultimate Breakfast," 15 Oct. 2018 Despite the historic air, all the technology is up-to-date, so enjoy the in-room iPads, espresso/tea machines, heated bathroom floors, and pumped-in oxygen to help ease any altitude issues. — Betsy Blumenthal, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Best Hotels in the World: 2018 Readers' Choice Awards," 9 Oct. 2018 All players contribute to three common goals around the terraforming effort: increasing the planet’s surface temperatures to eight Celsius, increasing the atmospheric oxygen levels to 14 percent, and placing nine ocean tiles on the board. — Keith Law, Ars Technica, "Review: Super-hot board game Terraforming Mars goes digital," 10 Nov. 2018 Vulnerabilities include being able to turn a weapon on or off, affect missile targeting, adjust oxygen levels or manipulate what controllers see on their computer screens. — Lolita C. Baldor, The Seattle Times, "Report: Pentagon weapons systems vulnerable to cyber attacks," 9 Oct. 2018 Another concern is the oxygen levels inside the cave could get dangerously low. — Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Fox News, "Thai soccer team rescue might need to happen sooner than expected, experts warn," 2 Oct. 2018 Rescuers faced daunting challenges, from decreasing oxygen levels and fears of further flooding. — Casey Quackenbush, Time, "After a Successful Cave Rescue, Thailand's Navy SEALs Will Add Cave-Diving to Their Training," 13 July 2018 According to the New York Times the oxygen levels in the cave dipped below 15% during the rescue. — Mckenzie Schwark, Teen Vogue, "The Thai Soccer Team Used Meditation to Help Them Survive," 12 July 2018 The oxygen level where the boys were sheltering had dipped to 15 percent. — Hannah Beech, Richard C. Paddock And Muktita Suhartono, New York Times, "‘Still Can’t Believe It Worked’: The Story of the Thailand Cave Rescue," 12 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'oxygen.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near oxygen

oxygen-acetylene cutting

oxygen-acetylene welding

oxygenate

Statistics for oxygen

Last Updated

4 Jun 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for oxygen

The first known use of oxygen was in 1788

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More Definitions for oxygen

oxygen

noun

English Language Learners Definition of oxygen

: a chemical that is found in the air, that has no color, taste, or smell, and that is necessary for life

See the full definition for oxygen in the English Language Learners Dictionary

oxygen

noun

ox·y·gen | \ ˈäk-si-jən

Kids Definition of oxygen

: a chemical element found in the air as a colorless odorless tasteless gas that is necessary for life

oxygen

noun

ox·y·gen | \ ˈäk-si-jən

Medical Definition of oxygen

: a colorless tasteless odorless gaseous element that constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere and is found in water, in most rocks and minerals, and in numerous organic compounds, that is capable of combining with all elements except the inert gases, that is active in physiological processes, and that is involved especially in combustion processes —symbol O — see Chemical Elements Table