alkali

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun

One of a class of caustic bases, such as soda, soda ash, caustic soda, potash, ammonia, and lithia, whose distinguishing characteristics are dissolving in alcohol and water, uniting with oils and fats to form soap, neutralizing and forming salts with acids, turning to brown several vegetable yellows, and changing reddened litmus to blue.
Soluble mineral matter, other than common salt, contained in soils of natural waters.

Pronunciation

/ˈæl.kəˌlaɪ/ ălʹkə-lī' LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-Alkali.wav en-us-alkali.ogg /ˈalkəli/ /əlkəˈli/ /-laj/

Word forms

alkali alkalis alkalies

Etymology

From French alcali, from Medieval Latin alcali, ultimately from Arabic اَلْقِلْي (al-qily, “alkali, ashes of the saltwort”), related to قَلَى (qalā, “to roast in a pan, fry”).

Synonyms

base

Antonyms

acid

Related words

alkalied alkaloid caustic pH

Derived words

alkalaemia alkalamide alkalemia alkalescent alkali basalt alkali bee alkalibiont alkalibiontic alkalic alkali cellulose alkali feldspar alkaliferous alkali flat alkali fly alkalify alkaligen alkaligenous alkali grass alkaligrass alkali green alkali metal alkalimeter alkalimetric alkalimetry alkaline alkalinogenic alkalious alkaliphile alkaliproof alkalization alkalize alkalosis antalkali bialkali caustic alkali caustic volatile alkali chloralkali haloalkaliphilic milk-alkali syndrome superalkali

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