borax
1a white, water-soluble powder or crystals, hydrated sodium borate, Na2B4O7⋅10H2O, occurring naturally or obtained from naturally occurring borates; tincal: used as a flux, cleansing agent, in the manufacture of glass, porcelain, and enamel, and in tanning.
Origin of borax
1- Also called sodium borate, sodium pyroborate, sodium tetraborate.
Other definitions for borax (2 of 2)
cheap, showy, poorly made merchandise, especially cheaply built furniture of an undistinguished or heterogeneous style.
Origin of borax
2Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for borax
/ (ˈbɔːræks) /
Also called: tincal a soluble readily fusible white mineral consisting of impure hydrated disodium tetraborate in monoclinic crystalline form, occurring in alkaline soils and salt deposits. Formula: Na 2 B 4 O 7 .10H 2 O
pure disodium tetraborate
Origin of borax
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for borax
[ bôr′ăks′ ]
A white, crystalline powder and mineral used as an antiseptic, as a cleansing agent, and in fusing metals and making heat-resistant glass. The mineral is an ore of boron and also occurs in yellowish, blue, or green varieties. Chemical formula: Na2B4O7·10H2O.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Browse