OZONE
What does "OZONE" mean?
A reactive form of oxygen, O3, that forms a protective layer high in Earth's atmosphere.
Meanings
- A pale-blue gas made of three oxygen atoms (O3), found in the upper atmosphere and as a ground-level pollutant. The ozone layer absorbs most of the Sun's harmful ultraviolet light.
- The fresh, sharp smell sometimes noticed near the sea or after a thunderstorm. There was a tang of ozone in the air after the lightning. informal
Did you know?
- Ozone got its name from a smell: chemist Christian Friedrich Schönbein coined it in 1840 from the Greek 'ozein', 'to smell', after noticing the sharp odour near electrical sparks.
- The 1987 Montreal Protocol that protects the ozone layer is the only UN treaty ever ratified by every member state on Earth.
Word origin
Coined in 1840 by chemist Christian Friedrich Schönbein from Greek 'ozein', meaning 'to smell', for the gas's distinctive odour.
Remember it
Ozone = O-zone: a zone of oxygen (O3) guarding the planet.
A little poem
Three atoms of breath
stretched thin above the cold sky-
the Sun is held back.
haiku
Wordplay
- Why did the oxygen molecule bring a friend to the party? Two felt like a couple, but it took three to make an O-zone.
What it teaches
What shields us is often invisible and thin; protect it before you have to prove it mattered.
Quick facts
What does OZONE mean?
A reactive form of oxygen, O3, that forms a protective layer high in Earth's atmosphere.
Is OZONE a valid word?
Yes — OZONE is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is OZONE?
OZONE has 5 letters and 2 syllables.
Where does OZONE come from?
Coined in 1840 by chemist Christian Friedrich Schönbein from Greek 'ozein', meaning 'to smell', for the gas's distinctive odour.
What can OZONE teach us?
What shields us is often invisible and thin; protect it before you have to prove it mattered.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.