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acidic

American  
[uh-sid-ik] / əˈsɪd ɪk /

adjective

  1. acid.

  2. Geology. acid.

  3. acid-forming.

  4. containing acid-bearing pollutants.

    Acidic runoff is poisoning the nation's rivers.


acidic British  
/ əˈsɪdɪk /

adjective

  1. another word for acid

  2. (of an oxide) yielding an acid in aqueous solution

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of acidic

First recorded in 1875–80; acid + -ic

Explanation

Something that's acidic has a sour or sharp taste. Lemonade, especially if it's light on the sugar, tastes very acidic. Citrus fruits have a typically acidic flavor, and they qualify as acidic in the scientific definition of the word as well. In chemistry, something that's acidic has a low pH, as opposed to a base, which has a higher pH. Various kinds of acids and vinegar are also acidic. The word comes from acid, which originally meant "of the taste of vinegar," from the Latin word acidus, "sour or sharp."

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Vocabulary lists containing acidic

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Given the chemical’s acidic and corrosive qualities, it would be difficult to load it onto a truck, he noted.

From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026

The show's creator Lee Sung Jin gave the older pair "this acidic point of view towards the others while not seeing our own petty behaviour", the actor adds.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

Earlier restorers cut it into six sections, adhered it to acidic backing and sealed it with animal glue.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

Such condensation can be “highly acidic and dangerous, causing chemical burns to the skin and severe lung damage,” the Iranian Environmental Protection Organization warned, according to NBC News.

From Salon • Mar. 17, 2026

He reeked of the acidic barf that dripped down his pants.

From "George" by Alex Gino

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