alkali Meaning, Definition & Usage

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

WordNet

Al"ka*li noun
Etymology
F. alcali, ultimately fr. Ar. alqali ashes of the plant saltwort, fr. qalay to roast in a pan, fry.
Wordforms
plural Alkalis or Alkalies
Definitions
  1. Soda ash; caustic soda, caustic potash, etc.
  2. (Chem.) One of a class of caustic bases, such as soda, potash, ammoma, 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.

Webster 1913