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Synonyms

halogen

American  
[hal-uh-juhn, -jen, hey-luh-] / ˈhæl ə dʒən, -ˌdʒɛn, ˈheɪ lə- /

noun

Chemistry.

  1. any of the electronegative elements, fluorine, chlorine, iodine, bromine, and astatine, that form binary salts by direct union with metals.

halogen British  
/ ˈhæləˌdʒɛn, həˈlɒdʒɪnəs /

noun

  1. any of the chemical elements fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, and astatine. They are all monovalent and readily form negative ions

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
halogen Scientific  
/ hăl′ə-jən /

  1. Any of a group of five nonmetallic elements with similar properties. The halogens are fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, and astatine. Because they are missing an electron from their outermost shell, they react readily with most metals to form salts.

  2. See Periodic Table

Other Word Forms

  • halogenoid adjective
  • halogenous adjective

Etymology

Origin of halogen

First recorded in 1835–45; halo- + -gen

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Another problem is the illegal retrofitting of LED bulbs, especially when fitted into units designed for halogen.

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026

The beam is whiter, more focused and brighter than the more diffuse light from halogen lamps fitted in older cars.

From BBC • Oct. 27, 2025

When illuminated by the microscope's halogen lamp and analyzed through a spectrometer, the light separates into different wavelengths.

From Science Daily • Oct. 23, 2025

"Overall, our study highlights the potential for utilizing halogen bonds for fine-tuned functional control in photo-active supramolecular systems, with applications in fast multilevel optical data storage."

From Science Daily • Jun. 4, 2024

This was a modern room with a curving steel desk near the center, carefully positioned halogen lights, and a spiral staircase leading down from a perfect circle cut in the ceiling about fifteen feet high.

From "Stormbreaker" by Anthony Horowitz

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.