Synonyms: free radical, radical
Definition: 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
Similar words: atom
Definition: (physics and chemistry) the smallest component of an element having the chemical properties of the element