oxygenate

Just like plants need sunlight, living things need oxygen. To oxygenate something means to add oxygen to it or make it richer in oxygen. Think of a fish tank: an aerator oxygenates the water so the fish can breathe. Doctors may also talk about oxygenating a person's blood when the body needs more oxygen. In general, the word is used for blood, water, or another substance that is being supplied with oxygen.

To oxygenate means to add oxygen to something or make it rich in oxygen. We often hear the word in health and science, where oxygen is important for life and normal body function. At its core, oxygenation is simply the process of supplying oxygen.

When doctors talk about oxygenating blood, they mean increasing the amount of oxygen carried through the bloodstream so tissues and organs can work properly. This can happen naturally through breathing, or with medical help when someone is sick or having trouble breathing.

The word is also common outside the body. In environmental science, oxygenation means adding oxygen to water in places like fish tanks, ponds, lakes, or rivers so aquatic life can survive more easily. In chemistry or industry, a gas, liquid, or other material may also be oxygenated as part of a process.

Sometimes people use the word more loosely to suggest bringing freshness or energy, but its main meaning is still literal: supplying oxygen.

So whether the subject is blood, water, or a chemical process, to oxygenate is to supply something with oxygen so it can function better or support life.