from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Oxide \Ox"ide\ ([o^]ks"[i^]d or [o^]ks"[imac]d), n. [F.
oxyg[`e]ne oxygen + acide acid: cf. F. oxyde. The French word
was correctly spelt oxide, till about the year 1840, when, in
ignorance or forgetfulness of the true history and
composition of the word, the orthography was change to make
it represent the [upsilon] of Gr. 'oxy`s, from which it was
supposed to be directly derived.] (Chem.)
A binary compound of oxygen with an atom or radical, or a
compound which is regarded as binary; as, iron oxide, ethyl
oxide, nitrogen oxide, etc.
[1913 Webster]
Note: In the chemical nomenclature adopted by Guyton de
Morveau, Lavoisier, and their associates, the term
oxides was made to include all compounds of oxygen
which had no acid (F. acide) properties, as contrasted
with the acids, all of which were at that time supposed
to contain oxygen. The orthography {oxyde}, {oxyd},
etc., was afterwards introduced in ignorance or
disregard of the true etymology, but these forms are
now obsolete in English. The spelling {oxid} is not
common.
[1913 Webster] oxidise