fluorine
fluorine Lexical Profile
fluorine Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A poisonous, pale-yellow gaseous chemical element of the halogen group (symbol F, atomic number 9) that is the most chemically reactive and electronegative of all elements.
"Because elemental fluorine reacts violently with most materials, chemists must store it in specially passivated metal containers."
Word Nuance & Usage
Often confused in everyday speech with 'fluoride', which is the negatively charged ion or compound of fluorine added to water and toothpaste to prevent tooth decay, whereas pure 'fluorine' is a highly toxic, reactive gas.
• Rhymes for fluorine
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the early 19th century by English chemist Sir Humphry Davy from the mineral fluorspar (calcium fluoride) and the chemical suffix -ine; fluorspar derives from Latin fluor ('a flowing'), because the mineral was used as a flux to help metals melt and flow.