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caustic

Syllabification: (caus·tic)
Pronunciation: /ˈkôstik/
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Definition of caustic

adjective

  • 1able to burn or corrode organic tissue by chemical action:a caustic cleaner
  • 2sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way:the players were making caustic comments about the refereeing
  • 3 Physics formed by the intersection of reflected or refracted parallel rays from a curved surface.

noun

  • 1a caustic substance.
  • 2 Physics a caustic surface or curve.

Derivatives

caustically

Pronunciation: /-ik(ə)lē/
adverb

causticity

Pronunciation: /kôˈstisətē/
noun

Origin:

late Middle English: via Latin from Greek kaustikos, from kaustos 'combustible', from kaiein 'to burn'

caustic in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of caustic in the British & World English dictionary

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