hydrochloric acid

American  

noun

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

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hydrochloric acid British  

/ 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

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hydrochloric acid Scientific  

/ hī′drə-klôr′ĭk /

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

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Etymology

Origin of hydrochloric acid

First recorded in 1825–35

Compare meaning

How does hydrochloric-acid compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• muriatic acid vs. hydrochloric acid
• hydrogen chloride vs. hydrochloric acid

Example Sentences

Plus, the trigger used to reverse the shape of the contorted molecule in order to release its energy was hydrochloric acid – a highly corrosive substance that must be neutralised after use.

From BBC • May 7, 2026

Machinery whirs loudly as a rare-earth mixture is bathed in hydrochloric acid and gradually separated into pure oxides that can be shipped to customers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026

Certain occupational exposures, such as to sulfuric or hydrochloric acid, may also put people at higher risk of enamel erosion.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 19, 2024

For example, they prompt cells in your stomach lining -- but not in your eyes -- to produce hydrochloric acid, even though all the cells in your body contain the same DNA.

From Science Daily • Jan. 23, 2024

“I know it’s been difficult,” she said, pouring him a cup of lemonade with the concentration of a scientist measuring hydrochloric acid.

From "Bone Gap" by Laura Ruby