Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Alkali
Al′ka-li
(?; 277)
, Noun.
pl.
Alkalis
or Alkalies
. [F.
alcali
, ultimately fr. Ar. alqalī
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 1828 Edition
Alkali
AL'KALI
,Noun.
plu.
In chimistry, a term applied to all bodies which possess the following properties:
1.
a caustic taste;2.
volatilizable by heat;3.
capability of combining with acids, and of destroying their acidity;4.
solubility in water, even when combined with carbonic acid;5.
capability of converting vegetable blues to green.The term was formerly confined to three substances:
1.
potash or vegetable fixed alkali, generally obtained from the ashes of wood;2.
soda or mineral fixed alkali, which is found in the earth and procured from marine plants; and 3.
ammonia or volatile alkali, an animal product.Modern chimistry has discovered many new substances to which the term is now extended.
The alkalies were formerly considered as elementary substances; but it is now ascertained that they are all compounds.
The alkalies are used in the manufacture of glass and soap, in bleaching and in medicine.
Definition 2024
Alkali
Alkali
alkali
alkali
English
Noun
alkali (plural alkalies or alkalis)
- (chemistry) 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.
- Soda ash; caustic soda, caustic potash, etc.
- (Western United States) Soluble mineral matter, other than common salt, contained in soils of natural waters.
Synonyms
- (chemistry): base
Antonyms
- (chemistry): acid
Translations
class of caustic bases
Derived terms
Related terms
See also
Afrikaans
Noun
alkali (plural alkalis or alkalië)
Antonyms
Synonyms
Derived terms
- alkalies
- alkaligehalte
- alkalireeks
Finnish
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -ɑli
Noun
alkali
Declension
| Inflection of alkali (Kotus type 6/paperi, no gradation) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | alkali | alkalit | |
| genitive | alkalin | alkalien alkaleiden alkaleitten |
|
| partitive | alkalia | alkaleita alkaleja |
|
| illative | alkaliin | alkaleihin | |
| singular | plural | ||
| nominative | alkali | alkalit | |
| accusative | nom. | alkali | alkalit |
| gen. | alkalin | ||
| genitive | alkalin | alkalien alkaleiden alkaleitten |
|
| partitive | alkalia | alkaleita alkaleja |
|
| inessive | alkalissa | alkaleissa | |
| elative | alkalista | alkaleista | |
| illative | alkaliin | alkaleihin | |
| adessive | alkalilla | alkaleilla | |
| ablative | alkalilta | alkaleilta | |
| allative | alkalille | alkaleille | |
| essive | alkalina | alkaleina | |
| translative | alkaliksi | alkaleiksi | |
| instructive | — | alkalein | |
| abessive | alkalitta | alkaleitta | |
| comitative | — | alkaleineen | |