[al-uh
m] 
| 1. | Also called potash alum, potassium alum. a crystalline solid, aluminum potassium sulfate, K2SO4·Al2(SO4)3·24H2O, used in medicine as an astringent and styptic, in dyeing and tanning, and in many technical processes. |
| 2. | one of a class of double sulfates analogous to the potassium alum, as aluminum ammonium sulfate, having the general formula R2SO4·X2(SO4)3·24H2O, where R is a univalent alkali metal or ammonium, and X one of a number of trivalent metals. |
| 3. | (not in technical use) aluminum sulfate. |
[uh-luhm] | an alumna or alumnus. |
| aluminum. |
| al·um 1 (āl'əm) n. Any of various double sulfates of a trivalent metal such as aluminum, chromium, or iron and a univalent metal such as potassium or sodium, especially hydrous aluminum potassium sulfate, AlK(SO4)2·12H2O, widely used in industry as clarifiers, hardeners, and purifiers and medicinally as topical astringents and styptics. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin alūmen.] |
| a·lum 2 (ə-lŭm') n. Informal An alumna or alumnus. |
alum al·um (āl'əm)
n.
Any of various double sulfates of a trivalent metal such as aluminum or iron and a univalent metal such as potassium or sodium that are used as topical astringents and styptics.
alum
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