iodine
iodine Lexical Profile
iodine Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A nonmetallic chemical element of the halogen group (atomic number 53) that forms dark-gray crystals yielding a pungent violet vapor when heated, essential in trace amounts for thyroid hormone synthesis.
"Table salt is commonly fortified with iodine to prevent thyroid disorders in the general population."
A liquid solution of this element, typically dissolved in alcohol or water, applied topically as a medical antiseptic to disinfect wounds and skin.
"The nurse swabbed the patient's arm with iodine before making the surgical incision."
• Rhymes for iodine
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in 1814 by English chemist Sir Humphry Davy from French iode, which French chemist Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac derived from Ancient Greek ioeides ('violet-colored'), referring to the rich purple vapor the element releases when heated.