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corrosive

 - 5 dictionary results

cor⋅ro⋅sive

  [kuh-roh-siv]
Use corrosive in a Sentence
–adjective
1. having the quality of corroding or eating away; erosive.
2. harmful or destructive; deleterious: the corrosive effect of poverty on their marriage.
3. sharply sarcastic; caustic: corrosive comments on the speaker's integrity.
–noun
4. something corrosive, as an acid or drug.
Origin:
1350–1400; late ME (< MF) < ML corrōsīvus, equiv. to L corrōs(us) (see corrosion ) + -īvus -ive; r. ME corosif < MF < L as above

Related forms:
cor⋅ro⋅sive⋅ly, adverb
cor⋅ro⋅sive⋅ness, cor⋅ro⋅siv⋅i⋅ty  [kawr-oh-siv-i-tee, kor-] , noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To corrosive
cor·ro·sive   (kə-rō'sĭv, -zĭv)   
adj.  

  1. Having the capability or tendency to cause corrosion: a corrosive acid.

  2. Gradually destructive; steadily harmful: corrosive anxiety; corrosive increases in prices; a corrosive narcotics trade.

  3. Spitefully sarcastic: corrosive criticism; corrosive wit.

n.  A substance having the capability or tendency to cause corrosion.
cor·ro'sive·ly adv., cor·ro'sive·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 1cor·ro·sive
Pronunciation: -'rO-siv, -ziv
Function: adjective
: tending or having the power to corrode<corrosive acids> corrosive gas poisoning —Current Biography> —cor·ro·sive·ness noun

Main Entry: 2corrosive
Function: noun
: a substance that corrodes : CAUSTIC
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

corrosive cor·ro·sive (kə-rō'sĭv, -zĭv)
adj.
Causing or tending to cause the gradual destruction of a substance by chemical action. n.
A substance having the capability or tendency to cause slow destruction.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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