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Glite Dictionary
azo dye

azo dye

7.9
A man-made dye used to give bright colors to cloth
  • noun
  • /ˈeɪzoʊ daɪ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : tinte azo
  • The bright red in the fabric was achieved with an azo dye.

Examples

  • The fabric was colored with an azo dye.

  • Many textiles are colored using azo dye because of its vivid shades.

  • Regulations limit the use of certain azo dyes due to their potential health risks.

  • Many azo dyes are used in textiles.

  • The greatest offenders appear to be the so-called azo dyes, which include FD&C Red #4 (ponceau), FD&C Yellow #6, and FD&C Yellow #5 (tartrazine).

  • Azo dyes are often used in textiles to create vibrant colors that last for a long time.

  • Many food products contain azo dyes to enhance their appearance and appeal to consumers.

Synonyms

dye
vsazo dye
85 2.0

A substance used to change the color of cloth or hair

is a synthetic subgroup defined by containing one or more N=N chemical groups

Surface Forms

azo dye singular
azo dyes plural

Morphology

azo + dye

The compound is directly descriptive: 'azo' specifies the chemical group (–N=N–) and 'dye' names a coloring material, so the meaning 'a dye containing azo group(s)' follows straightforwardly from the constituents. This follows regular scientific compounding and would be understandable to a B1 learner who already knows both constituent meanings.

Etymology

Azo dye gets its name from azo, a word used by chemists for a special 'N=N' link between two 'nitrogen' atoms. That 'N=N' link helps make bright colors, so azo dye means a dye that has this nitrogen link.