alkaline earth

noun

Chemistry.

1. any of the oxides of barium, radium, strontium, calcium, and, sometimes, magnesium.

alkaline earth

noun

1. Also called: alkaline earth metal.  alkaline earth element. any of the divalent electropositive metals beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, and radium, belonging to group 2A of the periodic table

2. an oxide of one of the alkaline earth metals

Word History and Origins

Origin of alkaline earth¹

First recorded in 1810–20