Ionize
/ˈaɪ.ə.naɪz/noun
To convert an atom or molecule into an ion, or to become electrically charged.
Did you know?Ionize comes from the same Greek root as “ion,” a term coined in the 19th century after the particles’ motion under electric current, not from any occult source — but the science itself feels like controlled invisible power.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἰέναι (ienai)
“to go”
1830s
French/English scientific
ion
“a charged particle that moves toward an electrode”
1830s
English scientific
ionize
“to make into ions or cause to become electrically charged”
Modern English
English
ionize
“to convert into ions or render electrically charged”
Explore more surprising origins