[ 'alkəlʌɪ ]
■ noun ( plural ~s ) a compound, e.g. lime or caustic soda, with particular chemical properties including turning litmus blue and neutralizing or effervescing with acids.
Derivatives
~zation or ~sation noun
~ze or ~se verb
Origin
ME (denoting a saline substance derived from the ashes of plants): from med. L., from Arab. al-ḳalī , from ḳalā 'fry, roast'.