What does unoxidised mean?
Unoxidised is an adjective describing a substance that has not undergone oxidation. In chemistry, oxidation can involve the addition of oxygen or the loss of electrons, so an unoxidised substance remains in its original chemical state with respect to the reaction concerned. The word is especially associated with metals and metallic surfaces, including copper, iron, and other materials used in industrial, laboratory, or conservation settings. Its use may also be figurative, suggesting that something has been preserved in a pure, unaltered, or newly prepared condition. Unoxidised is most often encountered in technical and formal contexts rather than everyday speech. British English normally spells the word with an s, as here, while American English more commonly uses unoxidized. Although the term is specialized, it follows a familiar pattern: the prefix un- is added to the related verb oxidise, giving a clear distinction between a substance that has undergone oxidation and one that has not.
adjectiveNot oxidised; having not undergone oxidation or chemical combination with oxygen.
- That has not undergone oxidation; remaining in an unoxidised chemical state.
"The sample was kept under nitrogen to ensure that the copper remained unoxidised."
"The conservators sealed the newly excavated iron so that it would remain unoxidised."
"The laboratory measured the amount of unoxidised copper in the sample after heating it in an oxygen-free atmosphere."
Unoxidised means oxygen never got to do its usual chemical work.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does unoxidised come from?
Unoxidised is an English formation made by adding the prefix un-, meaning “not,” to the verb oxidised. Oxidised belongs to a vocabulary borrowed from French and ultimately connected with Greek oxys, meaning “sharp,” in its older chemical sense. The same root underlies related English words such as oxide, oxidation, oxidize, and oxidative.
How unoxidised is actually used
Chiefly technical or scientific, though it may be used figuratively in formal writing. The -s spelling is standard in British English, while American English normally uses the -z spelling, unoxidized.
Easily confused with unoxidised
Oxidised means that oxidation has occurred, whereas unoxidised means that the substance has not undergone oxidation.