caustic
[ kaw-stik ]
/ ˈkɔ stɪk /
adjective
capable of burning, corroding, or destroying living tissue.
severely critical or sarcastic: a caustic remark.
noun
a caustic substance.
Optics.
Origin of caustic
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin
causticus < Greek
kaustikós burning, caustic, equivalent to
kaust(ós) burnt (verbal adjective of
kaíein to burn) +
-ikos
-ic
OTHER WORDS FROM caustic
Words nearby caustic
causerie,
causeuse,
causeway,
causey,
causist,
caustic,
caustic alcohol,
caustic baryta,
caustic curve,
caustic lime,
caustic potash
Example sentences from the Web for causticity
British Dictionary definitions for causticity
caustic
/ (ˈkɔːstɪk) /
adjective
capable of burning or corroding by chemical action
caustic soda
sarcastic; cutting
a caustic reply
of, relating to, or denoting light that is reflected or refracted by a curved surface
noun
Also called: caustic surface
a surface that envelops the light rays reflected or refracted by a curved surface
Also called: caustic curve
a curve formed by the intersection of a caustic surface with a plane
chem
a caustic substance, esp an alkali
Derived forms of caustic
caustical, adjective caustically, adverb causticity (kɔːˈstɪsɪtɪ) or causticness, nounWord Origin for caustic
C14: from Latin
causticus, from Greek
kaustikos, from
kaiein to burn
Medical definitions for causticity
caustic
[ kô′stĭk ]
n.
A hydroxide of a light metal.
A caustic material or substance.
adj.
Capable of burning, corroding, dissolving, or eating away by chemical action.
Of or relating to light emitted from a point source and reflected or refracted from a curved surface.
Causing a burning or stinging sensation.