First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
alkali
noun al·ka·li \ˈal-kə-ˌlī\
chemistry : a substance that has a bitter taste and that forms a salt when mixed with an acid
plural al·ka·lies or al·ka·lis
Full Definition of ALKALI
1
: a soluble salt obtained from the ashes of plants and consisting largely of potassium or sodium carbonate; broadly : a substance (as a hydroxide or carbonate of an alkali metal) having marked basic properties — compare base 7a
2
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 of ALKALI
Middle English, from Medieval Latin, from Arabic al-qili the ashes of the plant saltwort
Other Chemical Engineering Terms
Rhymes with ALKALI
abide by, Adonai, alibi, amplify, apple-pie, argufy, assegai, azo dye, basify, beautify, butterfly, by-and-by, caddis fly, calcify, certify, Chou En-lai, citify, clarify, classify, coalify, cockneyfy, codify, college try, cottage pie, crucify, cut-and-try, cutie-pie, DIY, damnify, damselfly, dandify, deify, densify, dignify, dobsonfly, do-or-die, dragonfly, dulcify, eagle eye, edify, evil eye, falsify, fancify, fortify, frenchify, fructify, gasify, Gemini, gentrify, glorify, goggle-eye, goldeneye, gratify, Haggai, harvest fly, hexerei, high and dry, hip and thigh, Hokusai, hook and eye, horrify, hoverfly, humble pie, Iceni, justify, kiss good-bye, lazy eye, lignify, liquefy, lithify, Lorelei, lullaby, Madurai, magnify, Malachi, Maracay, minify, modify, mollify, Molokai, Mordecai, mortify, multi-ply, multiply, mummify, mystify, nazify, notify, nullify, occupy, old school tie, on standby, on the fly, ossify, overbuy, overfly, overlie, pacify, Paraguay, passerby, peccavi, petrify, PPI, preachify, prettify, private eye, prophesy, purify, putrefy, qualify, quantify, ramify, rarefy, ratify, RBI, rectify, reify, res gestae, robber fly, runner's high, Russify, samurai, sanctify, satisfy, scarify, schwarmerei, semidry, set store by, shepherd's pie, shoofly pie, signify, simplify, Spanish fly, specify, speechify, stratify, stultify, stupefy, sweetie pie, Tenebrae, terrify, testify, tie-and-dye, tigereye, Trans Alai, tumble dry, typify, uglify, underlie, unify, Uruguay, Veneti, verify, versify, vilify, vinify, vitrify, vivify, weather eye, Windsor tie, xanthene dye, yuppify, zombify
ALKALI Defined for Kids
alkali
noun al·ka·li \ˈal-kə-ˌlī\
plural al·ka·lies or al·ka·lis
Definition of ALKALI for Kids
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 al·ka·lies or al·ka·lis
Medical Definition of ALKALI
: a substance (as a hydroxide or carbonate of an alkali metal) having marked basic properties—compare base
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