oxidize

/ˈɒksɪdaɪz/

//ˈɒksɪdaɪz// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"oxidize" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“oxidize” is uncommon English (frequency #62,389 among 1,431 “O” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#62,389
frequency rank, English
1,431
“O” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To combine with oxygen or otherwise make an oxide.

Corpus desk

Index EN-oxidize · oxidize · English

oxidize · rank #62,389 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #62,389
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,431
  • PHOTO-FINISH padawan

Nearest frequency peer: padawan (+2 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “oxidize”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “oxidize” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for oxidize
PropertyValue
Headwordoxidize
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈɒksɪdaɪz/
Letters7
Frequency rank#62,389
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “oxidize” in English

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).oxidizefalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Rare peers in the same band: “padawan” (#62,391), “paedophilia” (#62,392), “painlessly” (#62,393). Among 1,431 “O” headwords, “oxidize” is #62,389. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

oxidize is uncommon English at frequency #62,389 among 1,431 “O” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈɒksɪdaɪz/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for oxidize in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. Our dataset records no confusable match here, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From oxide + -ize. The correct English form is oxidize, spelled O-X-I-D-I-Z-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To combine with oxygen or otherwise make an oxide.
  2. 2
    To increase the valence (or the positive charge) of an element by removing electrons.
  3. 3
    To coat something with an oxide.
  4. 4
    To become oxidized.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how oxidize appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Oxygen levels on Earth skyrocketed 2.4 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria evolved photosynthesis:[…]. The evolutionary precursor of photosynthesis is still under debate, and a new study sheds light. The critical component of the photosynthetic system is the “water-oxidizing complex”, made up of manganese atoms and a calcium atom.

Etymology

From oxide + -ize.

This word in other languages

oxidar(Español)oxyder(Français)oxidieren(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "oxidize"?
"oxidize" is spelled O-X-I-D-I-Z-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɒksɪdaɪz/.
What does "oxidize" mean?
As a verb, "oxidize" means: To combine with oxygen or otherwise make an oxide.
How do you pronounce "oxidize"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "oxidize" is /ˈɒksɪdaɪz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "oxidize"?
From oxide + -ize. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "oxidize", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

padawan#62,391overpay#62,384peppery#62,403Phoebus#62,411

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list