free radical
free·ra·di·cal
noun
1.
an atom or group of atoms with at least one unpaired electron; in the body it is usually an oxygen molecule than has lost an electron and will stabilize itself by stealing an electron from a nearby molecule
- “in the body free radicals are high-energy particles that ricochet wildly and damage cells”
Related words
Broader terms
WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved.