1. to undergo or cause oxidation in a substance through the action of light, especially ultraviolet light
Usage: technical; chemistry; third person singular present tense of photooxidize

Examples

• The polymer photooxidizes when exposed to prolonged sunlight, causing it to become brittle.
• UV radiation photooxidizes the organic compounds in the water sample.
• The material photooxidizes more rapidly in the presence of a photocatalyst.
• When the paint photooxidizes, its color begins to fade and crack.
• The research team observed how the dye photooxidizes under different wavelengths of light.