Oxidation originally implied a reaction with oxygen to form an oxide. Later, the term was expanded to encompass substances that accomplished chemical reactions similar to those of oxygen. Ultimately, the meaning was generalized to include all processes involving the loss of electrons or the increase in the oxidation state of a chemical species. Substances that have the ability to oxidize other substances (cause them to lose electrons) are said to be oxidative or oxidizing, and are known as oxidizing agents, oxidants, or oxidizers. The oxidant removes electrons from another substance, and is thus itself reduced. Because it "accepts" electrons, the oxidizing agent is also called an electron acceptor. Oxidants are usually chemical substances with elements in high oxidation states (e.g., , , , , ), or else highly electronegative elements (e.g. O, F, Cl, Br, I) that can gain extra electrons by oxidizing another substance.
Oxidizers are oxidants, but the term is mainly reserved for sources of oxygen, particularly in the context of explosions. Nitric acid is a strong oxidizer.