Definitions
- n. 1
One of a class of caustic bases, such as soda, soda ash, caustic soda, potash, ammonia, and lithia, whose distinguishing characteristics are dissolving 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.
Related words
- Word family
- alkalic alkalify alkaline alkalization alkalise
- Phrases
- caustic marine alkali caustic wood alkali
Forms
- Plural
- alkalis → bases…
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| alkali | falling |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- base1