Alkali

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: al=ka=li

CIDE DICTIONARY

Alkali, n. [F. alcali, ultimately fr. Ar. alqalī ashes of the plant saltwort, fr. qalay to roast in a pan, fry.].

•  Soda ash; caustic soda, caustic potash, etc.  [1913 Webster]
•  One of a class of caustic bases, such as soda, potash, ammonia, and lithia, whose distinguishing peculiarities are solubility 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.  [1913 Webster]
•  Soluble mineral matter, other than common salt, contained in soils of natural waters.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Fixed alkalies, potash and soda. -- Vegetable alkalies. Same as Alkaloids. -- Volatile alkali, ammonia, so called in distinction from the fixed alkalies.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Alkali, n. (pl. alkalis)
1 a any of a class of substances that liberate hydroxide ions in water, usu. form caustic or corrosive solutions, turn litmus blue, and have a pH of more than 7, e.g. caustic soda. b any other substance with similar but weaker properties, e.g. sodium carbonate.
2 Chem. any substance that reacts with or neutralizes hydrogen ions.

Idiom

alkali metals any of the univalent group of metals, lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and caesium, whose hydroxides are alkalis.

Derivative

alkalimeter n. alkalimetry n.

Etymology

ME f. med.L, f. Arab. al-kali calcined ashes f. kala fry

THESAURUS

Alkali

acid, acidity, agent, alkalinity, alloisomer, anion, antacid, atom, base, biochemical, cation, chemical, chemical element, chromoisomer, compound, copolymer, dimer, element, heavy chemicals, high polymer, homopolymer, hydracid, inorganic chemical, ion, isomer, macromolecule, metamer, molecule, monomer, neutralizer, nonacid, organic chemical, oxyacid, polymer, pseudoisomer, radical, reagent, sulfacid, trimer

ROGET THESAURUS

Alkali

Calefaction

N calefaction, increase of temperature, heating, calefaction, tepefaction, torrefaction, melting, fusion, liquefaction, burning, ambustion, combustion, incension, accension, concremation, cremation, scorification, cautery, cauterization, ustulation, calcination, cracking, refining, incineration, cineration, carbonization, cupellation, ignition, inflammation, adustion, flagration, deflagration, conflagration, empyrosis, incendiarism, arson, auto dafe, boiling, coction, ebullition, estuation, elixation, decoction, ebullioscope, geyser, distillation (vaporization), furnace, blanket, flannel, fur, wadding, clothing, still, refinery, fractionating column, fractionating tower, cracking tower, match, incendiary, petroleuse, cauterizer, caustic, lunar caustic, alkali, apozem, moxa, acid, aqua fortis, aqua regia, catheretic, nitric acid, nitrochloro-hydric acid, nitromuriatic acid, radioactivity, gamma rays, alpha particles, beta rays, X-rays, radiation, cosmic radiation, background radiation, radioactive isotopes, tritium, uranium, plutonium, radon, radium, sunstroke, coup de soleil, insolation, pottery, ceramics, crockery, porcelain, china, earthenware, stoneware, pot, mug, terra cotta, brick, clinker, cinder, ash, scoriae, embers, soot, slag, coke, carbon, charcoal, wood alcohol, turpentine, tea tree oil, gasoline, kerosene, naptha, fuel oil (fuel), wax, paraffin, residue, tar, inflammability, combustibility, diathermancy, transcalency, conduction, convection, radiation, radiant heat, heat conductivity, conductivity, thermal expansion, coefficient of expansion, heated, molten, sodden, r_echauff_e, heating, adust, inflammable, combustible, diathermal, diathermanous, burnt, volcanic, radioactive.

Bitterness

N bitterness, acridness, acridity, acrimony, caustic, alkali, acerbity, gall, wormwood, bitters, astringent bitters, Angostura, aromatic bitters, sourness, pungency, alkaloids, turmeric, bitter, bitterish, acrid, acerb, acerbic, bitter as gall, bitter pill to take, sugar coating on a bitter pill.