eau oxygénée
/o ɔk.si.ʒe.ne/
Hydrogen peroxide in French is expressed as eau oxygénée or peroxyde d'hydrogène.
Meaning: H2O2 (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| eau oxygénée | /o ɔk.si.ʒe.ne/ | |
| peroxyde d'hydrogène | masculine |
Both terms refer to the chemical compound H2O2.
What does it mean word for word?
The common term eau oxygénée literally translates to oxygenated water.
Which one should you use?
Use peroxyde d'hydrogène in scientific, chemical or industrial contexts. In everyday contexts, such as when referring to the antiseptic used for treating wounds, use eau oxygénée.
How does it change in a sentence?
peroxyde d'hydrogène is a masculine noun, whereas eau oxygénée is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/o ɔk.si.ʒe.ne/
Did you know?
- The word eau in eau oxygénée shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'ea', meaning a river or watercourse.
- Despite sharing the same meaning, peroxyde d'hydrogène is masculine and eau oxygénée is feminine, meaning the adjectives used to describe the substance must change based on the term chosen.
- While peroxyde d'hydrogène is used in labs, the phrase eau oxygénée is the standard term used by French speakers when bleaching hair or treating a cut.
Examples in context
- Tu as de l'eau oxygénée ?Do you have hydrogen peroxide?
- Oui, j'ai du péroxyde d'hydrogène à la maison. Je peux te le donner.Yes, I have hydrogen peroxide at home. I can give it to you.
- Il faut mettre de l'eau oxygénée sur la plaie.You need to put hydrogen peroxide on the wound.
- Est-ce que tu as de l'eau oxygénée ?Do you have any hydrogen peroxide?
- L'eau oxygénée est dans la trousse de secours.The hydrogen peroxide is in the first aid kit.
Example conversation
Manon and Gabriel are in the pharmacy.
- ManonEst-ce que vous avez de l'eau oxygénée ?Do you have any hydrogen peroxide?
- GabrielOui, c'est juste ici, Manon.Yes, it is right here, Manon.
- ManonMerci, Gabriel, je vais en prendre une.Thanks, Gabriel, I will take one.
- GabrielDe rien, on peut y aller maintenant.You're welcome, we can go now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hydrogen peroxide” translations and entries eau oxygénée, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries eau, CC BY-SA 4.0.
