carbon-dioxide
UK[ˌkɑːbən daɪˈɒksaɪd]US[ˌkɑːrbən daɪˈɑːksaɪd]
n
a colourless gas produced by burning carbon and by breathing, and used by plants in photosynthesis
Morpheme Breakdown
carbon
di
oxide
carbon
coal, charcoal
di
two, twice
oxide
Etymology
the term 'carbon-dioxide' is a modern scientific compound, systematically constructed from established linguistic elements. 'carbon' derives from the latin carbo, referring to charcoal or coal, the elemental substance. the prefix 'di-', of greek origin, indicates the presence of two atoms. 'oxide' combines the greek root oxys, meaning 'sharp' or 'acid', with a suffix, originally denoting a compound, specifically one involving oxygen. thus, the word's literal construction logically describes a molecule composed of one carbon atom bonded to two oxygen atoms, reflecting its precise chemical composition.
Analysis
Structure: carbon + di + oxide
carbon (from latin carbo, meaning 'coal, charcoal'); di (from greek di-, meaning 'two, twice'); oxide (from french oxide, from greek oxys 'sharp, acid' + -idēs 'belonging to')
Examples
plants absorb carbon-dioxide and release oxygen during photosynthesis.
the increase in atmospheric carbon-dioxide is a major contributor to global warming.
the patient's blood test showed elevated levels of carbon-dioxide.