caustic

[ kaw-stik ]

adjective

1. capable of burning, corroding, or destroying living tissue.
2. severely critical or sarcastic:

   a caustic remark.

   Synonyms: acid, scathing, bitter, mordant, biting

noun

1. a caustic substance.
2. Optics.
   1. caustic curve.
   2. caustic surface.

caustic

/ ˈkɔːstɪk; kɔːˈstɪsɪtɪ /

adjective

1. capable of burning or corroding by chemical action

   caustic soda

2. sarcastic; cutting

   a caustic reply

3. of, relating to, or denoting light that is reflected or refracted by a curved surface

noun

1. Also calledcaustic surface a surface that envelops the light rays reflected or refracted by a curved surface
2. Also calledcaustic curve a curve formed by the intersection of a caustic surface with a plane
3. chem a caustic substance, esp an alkali

Derived Forms

• causticity, noun
• ˈcaustical, adjective
• ˈcaustically, adverb

Other Words From

• causti·cal·ly caustic·ly adverb
• caus·tic·i·ty [kaw-, stis, -i-tee], caustic·ness noun
• non·caustic adjective
• non·causti·cal·ly adverb
• over·caustic adjective
• over·causti·cal·ly adverb
• over·caus·tici·ty noun
• un·caustic adjective
• un·causti·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of caustic¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin causticus < Greek kaustikós burning, caustic, equivalent to kaust ( ós ) burnt (verbal adjective of kaíein to burn) + -ikos -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of caustic¹

C14: from Latin causticus, from Greek kaustikos, from kaiein to burn

Example Sentences

Why do you think that until know you have been cast as the caustic wife in other pieces?

From The Daily Beast

Her father left his entire £2 million fortune to his brother, explaining his decision in a caustic rider to his will.

From The Daily Beast

When his companion reacts to his confession with a caustic joke, he says, confused, “So it makes a difference does it?”

From The Daily Beast

Perhaps the most caustic anti-Republican riff came from Al Gore.

From The Daily Beast

And she does it all with caustic wit and some less-than-charming winking.

From The Daily Beast

Amorphous urates are readily soluble in caustic soda solutions.

From Project Gutenberg

Crystals of calcium oxalate are insoluble in acetic acid or caustic soda.

From Project Gutenberg

This I attribute to the potash being in a little more caustic condition than when recrystallised with iodine.

From Project Gutenberg

Page after page—full of caustic satire, humorous sally and profound epigram—fairly bristles with merriment.

From Project Gutenberg

Mr. Stanley replied in a speech of caustic severity, which the agitators of Ireland have never forgotten or forgiven.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• acerbic
• bitter
• harsh
• incisive
• pithy
• pungent
• satiric
• scathing
• sharp
• stinging
• trenchant