iodine
pronunciation
How to pronounce iodine in British English:
UK [ˈaɪədiːn]
How to pronounce iodine in American English:
US [ˈaɪədaɪn]
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- Noun:
- a nonmetallic element belonging to the halogens; used especially in medicine and photography and in dyes; occurs naturally only in combination in small quantities (as in sea water or rocks)
- a tincture consisting of a solution of iodine in ethyl alcohol; applied topically to wounds as an antiseptic
Word Origin
- iodine
- iodine: [19] Íon was the Greek word for ‘violet’ (indeed it is related to English violet). From it was derived the adjective iódēs ‘violetcoloured’, which was taken by the chemist Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac as the basis of iode, the French term for ‘iodine’ (iodine gives off a purple vapour when heated). The British chemist Sir Humphry Davy adopted it into English, adding the suffix -ine to produce iodine.=> violet
- iodine (n.)
- 1814, formed by English chemist Sir Humphrey Davy (1778-1829) from French iode "iodine," coined 1812 by French chemist Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac from Greek ioeides "violet-colored," from ion "the violet; dark blue flower," + eidos "appearance" (see -oid). Davy added the chemical suffix -ine (2) to make it analogous with chlorine and fluorine. So called from the color of the vapor given off when the crystals are heated.
Example
- 1. Radioactive iodine loses half its strength in a week .
- 2. The patient lies back , hands behind their head as I clean each axilla with iodine .
- 3. There are no starlets embracing iodine .
- 4. Iodine just wasn 't on anyone 's mind .
- 5. The pills flood the thyroid gland with non-radioactive iodine .