borax

¹

[bawr-aks, -uhks, bohr-]

noun

plural

boraxes, boraces 

1. a white, water-soluble powder or crystals, hydrated sodium borate, Na 2 B 4 O 7 ⋅10H 2 O, 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.

borax

²

[bawr-aks, -uhks, bohr-]

noun

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

borax

/ ˈbɔːræks /

noun

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

borax

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: Na ₂ B ₄ O ₇ ·10H ₂ O.

Word History and Origins

Origin of borax¹

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

Origin of borax²

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of borax¹

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