sodium metasilicate

1 of 2

noun (1)

sodium meta·​sil·​i·​cate -ˌme-tə-ˈsi-lə-ˌkāt 

-ˈsi-li-kət

: a toxic corrosive crystalline salt Na₂SiO₃ used especially as a detergent or as a substitute for phosphates in detergent formulations

sodium silicate

2 of 2

noun (2)

: any of various water-soluble substances obtained in the form of crystals, glasses, powders, or aqueous solutions usually by melting silica with a sodium compound (such as sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide): such as

a

or sodium orthosilicate : a corrosive crystalline substance regarded as a salt Na₄SiO₄ or 2Na₂O.SiO₂ of orthosilicic acid or as a mixture of sodium metasilicate with sodium hydroxide and used chiefly in heavy-duty cleaning compositions

b

or sodium metasilicate : a crystalline salt Na₂SiO₃ or Na₂O.SiO₂ either in the anhydrous or hydrated form used chiefly as a detergent

c

or sodium sesquisilicate : a corrosive crystalline salt regarded as intermediate in composition between sodium orthosilicate and sodium metasilicate and used in heavy-duty cleaning compositions

—not used systematically

d

: water glass

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1926, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sodium metasilicate

• silicate