amphoteric

[ am-fuh-ter-ik ]

/ ˌæm fəˈtɛr ɪk /

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adjective Chemistry.

capable of functioning either as an acid or as a base.

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Origin of amphoteric

1840–50; <Greek amphóter(os) (comparative of ámphō both; cognate with Latin ambō) + -ic

Words nearby amphoteric

ampholyte, ampholytic, amphora, amphoric, amphoriskos, amphoteric, amphotericin, ampicillin, ample, amplexicaul, amplexifoliate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use amphoteric in a sentence

In regard to the indications of the amphoteric character of stronger acids, see Chapter XV.
The Elements of Qualitative Chemical Analysis, vol. 1, parts 1 and 2.|Julius Stieglitz
Bodies of this kind are known as "amphoteric electrolytes," since they yield both positive and negative ions, if dissociated.
The Chemistry of Plant Life|Roscoe Wilfred Thatcher

British Dictionary definitions for amphoteric

amphoteric

/ (ˌæmfəˈtɛrɪk) /

adjective

chem able to function as either a base or an acidAlso: amphiprotic

Word Origin for amphoteric

C19: from Greek amphoteros each of two (from amphō both) + -ic

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 amphoteric

amphoteric

[ ăm′fə-tĕr′ĭk ]

Capable of reacting chemically as either an acid or a base. Water, ammonia, and the hydroxides of certain metals are amphoteric.