halogen

What is another word for halogen? Here is its meaning, with related words and examples.

Noun — In chemistry, a halogen is any element from group 17 of the periodic table, a group that includes fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, astatine and tennessine.

We haven't recorded synonyms for halogen yet. You can still read its full definition, where it comes from, or words that rhyme with it.

How to use halogen

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

halogen gas halogen lamp halogen bulb group 17 halogens

The chemistry sense is technical; the light-bulb sense is everyday household vocabulary.

Etymology

Halogen was formed from the Ancient Greek word for salt or sea combined with a Greek element meaning to produce. It was coined by the chemist Berzelius in 1842, and reads literally as salt-forming.

Full origin of halogen →

Frequently asked questions

What elements count as halogens?

The halogens are fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, astatine and, by most chemists' reckoning, the superheavy element tennessine.

Why are they called halogens?

The name means salt-forming, because these elements were originally known for reacting with metals to form salts.

What does halogen mean when talking about light bulbs?

A halogen light bulb has a filament surrounded by halogen gas, which is a different sense of the word from the chemistry one.

Nearby words

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