What is the meaning of free radical?

noun

  • An atom or group of atoms with at least one unpaired electron; in the body it is usually an oxygen molecule that has lost an electron and will stabilize itself by stealing an electron from a nearby molecule.
    • usage: "in the body free radicals are high-energy particles that ricochet wildly and damage cells"
WordNet 3.0 © 2006 by Princeton University
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APAWordNet. (2010). free radical. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/free_radical/definitions/1248663
ChicagoWordNet. 2010. "free radical" http://smartdefine.org/free_radical/definitions/1248663 (accessed September 20, 2026).
HarvardWordNet 2010, free radical, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/free_radical/definitions/1248663>.
MLAWordNet. "free radical" 23 October 2010. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/free_radical/definitions/1248663>