halogen

[ hal-uh-juhn, -jen, hey-luh- ]

noun

, Chemistry.

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

halogen

/ ˈhæləˌdʒɛn; həˈlɒdʒɪnəs /

noun

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

halogen

/ 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

Derived Forms

• halogenous, adjective
• ˈhalogenˌoid, adjective

Other Words From

• ha·log·e·nous [ha-, loj, -, uh, -n, uh, s], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of halogen¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of halogen¹

C19: from Swedish; see halo- , -gen

Example Sentences

Researchers uncover how the halogen bond can be exploited to direct sequential dynamics in the multi-functional crystals, offering crucial insights for developing ultrafast-response times for multilevel optical storage.

From Science Daily

But suppose you discard — or give away — your halogen and incandescent bulbs.

From Seattle Times

But most if not all other incandescents will struggle to meet the new efficiency standards, and the same goes for a more recent generation of halogen lights.

From New York Times

But then I have spent the past six months, since the premature release of the Dobbs decision, feeling rage emanate off women like heat from an halogen bulb.

From Washington Post

Zeferino Garcia and a crew of eight men had been working under automobile high beams and halogen lights since 3 a.m.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bleach
• disinfectant