borax

1
[ bawr-aks, -uhks, bohr- ]

noun,plural bo·rax·es, bo·ra·ces [bawr-uh-seez, bohr-]. /ˈbɔr əˌsiz, ˈboʊr-/.
  1. a white, water-soluble powder or crystals, hydrated sodium borate, Na2B4O7⋅10H2O, occurring naturally or obtained from naturally occurring borates; tincal: used as a flux, cleansing agent, in the manufacture of glass, porcelain, and enamel, and in tanning.

Origin of borax

1
1350–1400; <Medieval Latin ≪ dialectal Arabic būraq<Middle Persian būrag; replacing Middle English boras<Middle French <Medieval Latin borax

Words Nearby borax

Other definitions for borax (2 of 2)

borax2
[ bawr-aks, -uhks, bohr- ]

noun
  1. cheap, showy, poorly made merchandise, especially cheaply built furniture of an undistinguished or heterogeneous style.

Origin of borax

2
An Americanism dating back to 1940–45; of uncertain origin

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How to use borax in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for borax

borax

/ (ˈbɔːræks) /


nounplural -raxes or -races (-rəˌsiːz)
  1. Also called: tincal a soluble readily fusible white mineral consisting of impure hydrated disodium tetraborate in monoclinic crystalline form, occurring in alkaline soils and salt deposits. Formula: Na 2 B 4 O 7 .10H 2 O

  2. pure disodium tetraborate

Origin of borax

1
C14: from Old French boras, from Medieval Latin borax, from Arabic būraq, from Persian būrah

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

Scientific definitions for borax

borax

[ bôrăks′ ]


  1. A white, crystalline powder and mineral used as an antiseptic, as a cleansing agent, and in fusing metals and making heat-resistant glass. The mineral is an ore of boron and also occurs in yellowish, blue, or green varieties. Chemical formula: Na2B4O7·10H2O.

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