phlogiston
/floʊˈdʒɪstɑn/
noun
- A hypothetical substance once believed to be released during burning, now known to be incorrect.
- Learning about phlogiston helps students see how scientific ideas evolve over time.
- The phlogiston theory was replaced by the modern understanding of oxygen and combustion.
- In the 18th century, scientists thought phlogiston escaped from wood as it burned.