Added 9 October 2026
alkali
/ˈæl.kəˌlaɪ/ noun
Latin root: alcali Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about alkali at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- 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.
Origin
From French alcali, from Medieval Latin alcali, ultimately from Arabic اَلْقِلْي (al-qily, “alkali, ashes (in reference to ashes of the saltwort)”), related to قَلَى (qalā, “to roast in a pan, fry”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)