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Glite Dictionary
hydroxyl ion

hydroxyl ion

6.7
A particle with a negative charge made of one oxygen and one hydrogen atom
  • noun
  • /haɪˈdrɒksɪl aɪən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : ión hidroxilo
  • To determine the acidity of the solution, we measure the levels of hydroxyl ions and hydrogen ions.
  • hydrogen and hydroxyl ions

Examples

  • The pH of a solution decreases as the concentration of hydroxyl ions increases.

  • High concentrations of hydroxyl ions can lead to corrosion in metal pipes.

  • This causes high concentrations of hydroxyl ions to form under the paint film.

    Academic text (1996)

Synonyms

hydroxide
vshydroxyl ion
  • Specialized
8 5.8

A chemical made of oxygen and hydrogen that reacts with acids to make water and salt

is the single negatively charged ion made of one oxygen and one hydrogen
hydroxide ion
vshydroxyl ion
  • Specialized
5.1

A small negatively charged particle made of one oxygen and one hydrogen atom that makes solutions alkaline

is defined purely as the ion itself without implying alkaline context

Surface Forms

hydroxyl ion singular
hydroxyl ions plural

Morphology

hydroxyl + ion

If a learner knows 'hydroxyl' (a group of one oxygen and one hydrogen) and 'ion' (a charged atom or molecule), they can directly combine these meanings to infer a charged OH species. The term follows regular chemical naming conventions (and similar patterns across languages), so its meaning is compositionally predictable.

Etymology

The term hydroxyl ion comes from the parts hydro (meaning 'water') and oxyl (from 'oxygen'), suggesting one oxygen and one hydrogen together. So the name helps you remember it is the small negatively charged ion made of one oxygen and one hydrogen atom.