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alkali

noun al·ka·li \ ˈal-kə-ˌlī \
|Updated on: 8 Jul 2018
plural alkalies or alkalis
1 : a soluble salt obtained from the ashes of plants and consisting largely of potassium or sodium carbonate; broadly : a substance (such as a hydroxide or carbonate of an alkali metal) having marked basic properties — compare base 7a
2 : alkali metal
3 : a soluble salt or a mixture of soluble salts present in some soils of arid regions in quantity detrimental to agriculture

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Origin and Etymology of alkali

Middle English, from Medieval Latin, from Arabic al-qili the ashes of the plant saltwort

Other Chemical Engineering Terms

cation, decant, hygroscopic, isotope, oxidize, slurry, solute, viscous

ALKALI Defined for English Language Learners

alkali

noun

  • chemistry : a substance that has a bitter taste and that forms a salt when mixed with an acid

ALKALI Defined for Kids

alkali

noun al·ka·li \ ˈal-kə-ˌlī \
plural alkalies or alkalis
1 : a substance that has a bitter taste and reacts with an acid to form a salt : base
2 : a salt or a mixture of salts sometimes found in large amounts in the soil of dry regions

Medical Dictionary

alkali

noun al·ka·li \ ˈal-kə-ˌlī \
plural alkalies or alkalis
: a substance (as a hydroxide or carbonate of an alkali metal) having marked basic properties — compare base

Learn More about alkali

  1. See words that rhyme with alkali Spanish Central: Translation of alkali Nglish: Translation of alkali for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about alkali

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