- a soluble base or a solution of a base
- a soluble mineral salt that occurs in arid soils and some natural waters
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
al•ka•li /ˈælkəˌlaɪ/USA pronunciation
n., pl. -lis, -lies, adj.
n.
adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026n.
- Chemistryany of various chemical substances that neutralize acids to form salts: [uncountable]Alkali turns red litmus paper blue.[countable]Some alkalis are harmful to the growth of crops.
adj.
- Chemistryalkaline.
al•ka•li
(al′kə lī′),USA pronunciation n., pl. -lis, -lies, adj.
n.
adj.
n.
- Chemistry
- any of various bases, the hydroxides of the alkali metals and of ammonium, that neutralize acids to form salts and turn red litmus paper blue.
- any of various other more or less active bases, as calcium hydroxide.
- (not in technical use) an alkali metal.
- [Obs.]any of various other compounds, as the carbonates of sodium and potassium.
- Agriculturea soluble mineral salt or a mixture of soluble salts, present in some soils, esp. in arid regions, and detrimental to the growing of most crops.
adj.
- Chemistryalkaline.
- dialect, dialectal Arabic al-qalī, variant of Arabic qily saltwort ashes
- Middle French alcali
- Middle English alkaly 1300–50
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
alkali /ˈælkəˌlaɪ/ n ( pl -lis, -lies)
'alkali' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
alkali metal
- alkaline
- alkalinity
- caesium
- calcium hydroxide
- caustic
- corrosive
- francium
- hydroxide
- iodoform
- lithium
- mercerize
- period
- potassium
- rubidium
- saponify
- sodium
- vat dye
- accelerator
- albuminate
- alcaligenes
- algin fiber
- alk.
- alkali blue
- alkalic
- alkali flat
- alkalify
- alkali grass
- alkali-loving
- alkali metaprotein
- alkalimeter
- alkaline-earth metal
- alkali rock
- alkali soil
- alkaloid
- alum
- aluminosilicate
- anionic detergent
- antalkali
- barilla
- cesium
- ethyl cellulose
- force
- glutose
- hyperkalemia
- hypokalemia
- kalinite
- lemon kali
- leucite
- nepheline