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alkali
9 dictionary results for: alkali
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
al·ka·li       [al-kuh-lahy] Pronunciation Key noun, plural -lis, -lies, adjective
–noun
1.Chemistry.
a.any of various bases, the hydroxides of the alkali metals and of ammonium, that neutralize acids to form salts and turn red litmus paper blue.
b.any of various other more or less active bases, as calcium hydroxide.
c.(not in technical use) an alkali metal.
d.Obsolete. any of various other compounds, as the carbonates of sodium and potassium.
2.Agriculture. a soluble mineral salt or a mixture of soluble salts, present in some soils, esp. in arid regions, and detrimental to the growing of most crops.
–adjective
3.Chemistry. alkaline.
[Origin: 1300–50; ME alkaly < MF alcali < dial. Ar al-qalī, var. of Ar qily saltwort ashes]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
al·ka·li       (āl'kə-lī')  Pronunciation Key 
n.   pl. al·ka·lis or al·ka·lies
  1. A carbonate or hydroxide of an alkali metal, the aqueous solution of which is bitter, slippery, caustic, and characteristically basic in reactions.
  2. Any of various soluble mineral salts found in natural water and arid soils.
  3. Alkali metal.
  4. A substance having highly basic properties; a strong base.


[Middle English, alkaline substance from calcined plant ashes, from Medieval Latin, from Arabic al-qily, the ashes, lye, potash : al-, the + qily, ashes (from qalā, to fry, roast; see qly in Semitic roots).]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
alkali 
c.1386, "soda ash," from M.L. alkali, from Arabic al-qaliy "the ashes" (of saltwort, a plant growing in alkaline soils), from qalay "to roast in a pan." The modern chemistry sense is from 1813. Alkaline is attested from 1677.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
alkali

noun
1. any of various water-soluble compounds capable of turning litmus blue and reacting with an acid to form a salt and water; "bases include oxides and hydroxides of metals and ammonia" [syn: base] 
2. a mixture of soluble salts found in arid soils and some bodies of water; detrimental to agriculture 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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The American Heritage Science Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
alkali       (āl'kə-lī')  Pronunciation Key 
Plural alkalis or alkalies
A hydroxide of an alkali metal. The aqueous solution of alkalis is bitter, slippery, caustic, and characteristically basic in reactions.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition - Cite This Source - Share This
alkali [(al-kuh-leye)]

A bitter, caustic mineral often found in large beds in the desert. Alkalis are bases; two common examples are lye and ammonia.

Note: Plants have difficulty growing in soil that is rich in alkalis.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

alkali al·ka·li (āl'kə-lī')
n. pl. al·ka·lis

  1. A carbonate or hydroxide of an alkali metal, the aqueous solution of which is bitter, slippery, caustic, and characteristically basic in reactions.
  2. Any of various soluble mineral salts found in natural water and arid soils.
  3. Alkali metal.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Alkali

Al"ka*li\ (?; 277), n.; pl. Alkalis or Alkalies. [F. alcali, ultimately fr. Ar. alqal[=i] ashes of the plant saltwort, fr. qalay to roast in a pan, fry.]

1. Soda ash; caustic soda, caustic potash, etc.

2. (Chem.) One of a class of caustic bases, such as soda, potash, ammonia, and lithia, whose distinguishing peculiarities are solubility 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.

Fixed alkalies, potash and soda.

Vegetable alkalies. Same as Alkaloids.

Volatile alkali, ammonia, so called in distinction from the fixed alkalies.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Alkali

Al"ka*li\, n. Soluble mineral matter, other than common salt, contained in soils of natural waters. [Western U. S.]

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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