hydrochloric acid

noun

1. a colorless or faintly yellow, corrosive, fuming liquid, HCl, used chiefly in chemical and industrial processes.

hydrochloric acid

/ ˌhaɪdrəˈklɒrɪk /

noun

1. Formerly called: muriatic acid. the colourless or slightly yellow aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride: a strong acid used in many industrial and laboratory processes

hydrochloric acid

1. A solution of hydrogen chloride in water, forming a very strong, poisonous, corrosive acid with a sharp odor. It is used in food processing, metal cleaning, and dyeing. Small amounts of hydrochloric acid are also secreted by the stomachs of animals for digestion.

2. Also called muriatic acid

Word History and Origins

Origin of hydrochloric acid¹

First recorded in 1825–35