HealthAugust 13, 2026

superoxide

SOO-per-ock-side

Definition

A highly reactive oxygen species (ROS) containing an extra electron, which functions as a signaling molecule at low levels but can cause significant cellular damage when produced in excess.

Etymology

The term is a combination of the Latin 'super-' meaning 'above' or 'over,' and 'oxide,' denoting a compound of oxygen with another element. It describes an oxide with a higher proportion of oxygen than typical counterparts.

In the news

In the article, superoxide is identified as one of the chemically reactive molecules generated by mitochondrial stress during overnutrition. Its accumulation is a key driver of oxidative stress that interferes with cellular health.

How Obesity Triggers Cellular Stress Through Unfolded Protein Response and NRF2 Signaling

Read the full article ↗

Bioengineer.org

Related words

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.