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Affixes: the building blocks of English
Affixes: the building blocks of English
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hydroxy- Also hydroxo-.

Hydroxyl; hydroxide.

[English hydroxyl.]

The hydroxyl group is the radical -OH; a hydroxide is a compound of a metal with it; generally a hydroxylic compound contains the hydroxyl radical; to hydroxylate a compound is to introduce the hydroxyl group into it. The mineral hydroxyapatite, a complex form of calcium phosphate, is the main inorganic constituent of tooth enamel and bone. Several drug names indicate the presence of a hydroxyl group: hydroxocobalamin is a cobalt-containing drug administered in cases of vitamin B12 deficiency; hydroxyprogesterone is a synthetic female sex hormone.

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