caustic (ˈkɔːstɪk
)
Definitions
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 surfacea surface that envelops the light rays reflected or refracted by a curved surface
- Also called caustic curvea curve formed by the intersection of a caustic surface with a plane
- chemistry a caustic substance, esp an alkali
Alternative Forms
ˈcaustical adjective ˈcaustically adverb causticity (kɔːˈstɪsɪtɪ) ˈcausticness noun Word Origin
C14: from Latin causticus, from Greek kaustikos, from kaiein to burn
Synonyms
View thesaurus entry
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sarcastic,
biting,
keen,
cutting,
severe,
stinging,
scathing,
acrimonious,
pungent,
vitriolic,
trenchant,
mordant,
mordacious,
