acid-, acidi-, acido-, -acidity

(Latin: sour [sharp])

acid (s) (noun), acids (pl)
1. A chemical substance which can dissolve some metals, can neutralize alkalis, and is able to turn litmus red: Zink is a metal that can dissolve in acids and strong alkalis.

In the newspaper there was an article about a man who had corrosive acid sprayed in his face, but he was lucky that his eyesight was not affected.
2. Cutting and very bitter remarks in voice and tone: Her voice was full of acid when she talked to her ex-husband about their children.

acid (adjective), more acid, most acid
1. Pertaining to something sour, tart, or sharp to the taste: There was an acid and biting flavor to the vinegar.
2. Regarding a sharp, bitter, or sarcastic quality in speech or writing: Norman was noted for his acid wit and criticism which were discerning, pointed, and sharply clear.
acid albumin (s) (noun), acid albumins (pl)
A protein that dissolves in acids and shows an acid reaction: Acid albumin cannot be coagulated by using heat.
acid rain (s) (noun), acid rains (pl)
Rain, or other precipitation that has an excessive concentration of sulfuric or nitric acids; acidic rain; acidic precipitation: Acid rain is a popular term for the atmospheric deposition of acidified rain, snow, sleet, hail, acidifying gases and particles, as well as acidified fog and cloud water.

Any kind of precipitation or fog water having a pH less than 5.65 is termed to be acid rain.

Acid rain is the deposition of acidifying substances from the atmosphere during an event of precipitation.

acid test (s) (noun), acid tests (pl)
A conclusive assessment that establishes the worth or credibility of something: To prove the quality of gold an acid test is performed by using nitric acid.
acidaminuria (s) (noun) (no pl)
An excess of amino acids in urine; aminoaciduria: When at his family doctor's office, Mr. Smith had his urin tested and Dr. Hathaway said that he had a case of aciaminuria which could be treated and cured.
acidemia, acidaemia (s) (noun): acidemias; acidaemias (pl)
A situation in which the acidity of the blood is much higher than normal and desirable: Acidaemia is one feature of severe untreated diabetes.

Acidemia is a condition in which the blood pH is below normal.

acidhead (s) (noun), acidheads (pl)
Someone who habitually uses the illegal drug LSD, a hallucinogenic drug: Some of the best musicians and song writers were known to be acidheads, a slang expression used for these addicts.
acidic (adjective), more acidic, most acidic
1. Sour or bitter in taste: When Chuck was sick, he vomited which produced an awful acidic taste in his mouth and he wanted to wash it out immediately!
2. Pertaining to, or of the nature of, an acid: Igneous rocks are acidic in that they contain more than 65% silica.
acidiferous (adjective), more acidiferous, most acidiferous
Referring to something that yields an acid: Aluminite and carbonate of lime are two examples of acidiferous minerals.
acidifiable (adjective), more acidifiable, most acidifiable
Capable of being converted into, or of combining so as to form an acid: A lot of cheeses are acidifiable by bacteria, and can change milk sugars into lactic acid, and, with the addition of rennet, the curdling is accomplished.
acidification (s) (noun), acidifications (pl)
The process of becoming acid; conversion into an acid: Soil acidification takes place when acidic chemicals are put into the soil, caused by acid rain pollution, for example.

Acidification in the ocean is created by the burning of fossil fuels.

acidified (adjective), more acidified, most acidified
Concerning something that has been made acid; converted into an acid: The soil became acidified in the garden following the acid rain and had to be improved with peat so that the plants would survive!
acidifier (s) (noun), acidifiers (pl)
Anything that acidifies, or generates an acid: An acidifier is a substance that is good for increasing soil acidity.

The term acidifier was originally given (in error) to oxygen, as the supposed active agent in producing acids.

acidify (verb), acidifies; acidified; acidifying
To make, turn into, or to become acid: Water is not acidified by bleach, but bleach does kill bacteria.

Jane wanted to acidify the alkaline soil in her garden, and so once in a while she mixed it with peat,

Cross references of word families that are related directly, or indirectly, to: "sour, sharp": acerb-; acies- (not "sour"); acuto- (not "sour"); oxy-; pung- (not "sour").