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oxyder

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Etymology and origin of the French word oxyder

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1787 Guyton de Morveau, Nomenclature chimique More words from the 18th century
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek ὀξύς
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Ancient Greek ὀξύς (oxús)
French oxyde
French oxyder
From the same root
Ancient Greek ὀξύμωρον (oxúmōron) ← ὀξύς
English oxymoron ← ὀξύς

Pronunciation

Forms

oxyder[1] First spelled oxider (past participle oxidé); the spelling with ⟨y⟩, as in oxyde, is found from 1801.[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from French oxyde + -er.[4][1][2] The noun oxyde was coined in 1787 by the chemist Guyton de Morveau; it is from Ancient Greek ὀξύς (oxús, “sharp, acid”), taken in the sense “acid”;[3][5] he explained that the word recalled oxygen, with which the metal is combined, while showing that the combination was not an acid.[5][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It was created in 1787 together with oxyde, and is first found as the past participle in métaux oxidés “oxidized metals” in Guyton de Morveau's chemical nomenclature, meaning “turned into an oxide”.[4][3]

Semantic evolution

The infinitive is recorded in 1801 by the mineralogist René Just Haüy[4] and in 1803 by Boiste, who also has the pronominal s'oxyder “to turn into oxide”.[6] Its present participle gave oxydant (1791, sels oxidans), used as a noun from 1874.[4][3] Other derivatives followed quickly: oxydation (1788, Lavoisier), oxydable (1789) and désoxyder (1797);[3][5] inoxydable (1842) has become more common than oxydable because of rustproof metals in industry.[3] In modern chemistry the verb also means to raise the positive valence of a compound.[7]

Timeline

  • 1787 – Guyton de Morveau writes métaux oxidés.[4][3]
  • 1791 – Sels oxidans appears in the Annales de chimie.[4]
  • 1801 – Haüy uses the infinitive oxyder.[4]
  • 1803 – Boiste records oxyder and s'oxyder.[6]
  • 1874 – Oxydant is used as a noun.[4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. (chemistry) To turn into an oxide, to increase the oxygen content of a compound, oxidize: La pluie oxyde les grilles du jardin.[7][4][8]
  2. To cover a metal with a layer of oxide, as silver to give it an antique look.[4]
  3. (pronominal) To become oxidized, rust.[7][6][9]
  4. (chemistry) To raise the positive valence of a compound or radical.[7]

Word family

  • oxydation
  • oxydable
  • oxydant
  • désoxyder

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  5. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
  9. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Oxyder.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/oxyder. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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