English Explanatory Dictionary

elephant's toothpaste

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A foamy substance caused by the rapid decomposition of hydrogen peroxide using potassium iodide as a catalyst; the outcome of a popular educational experiment in chemistry.

Word forms

elephant's toothpaste elephant toothpaste

Etymology

The foamy texture and size of the resulting mass suggest a large amount of toothpaste, as might be imagined to be used by a large creature like an elephant.

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