lye
Americannoun
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a highly concentrated, aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide.
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any solution resulting from leaching, percolation, or the like.
noun
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any solution obtained by leaching, such as the caustic solution obtained by leaching wood ash
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a concentrated solution of sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of lye
First recorded before 900; Middle English lie, ley, Old English lēag; cognate with Dutch loog, German Lauge “lye,” Old Norse laug “warm bath”; see lave 1
Explanation
Lye is an alkaline solution that's used for cleaning. If you were a maid about 200 years ago, you probably cleaned the chamber pots with lye. Lye is an old cleaning product and an old word too. It comes from the Old English léag, which is related to the root for "wash" in our word lather. Lye is still used to make soap, but you probably won't come across the word except in old novels. If you become a historical re-enactor, say goodbye to body wash and hello to lye.
Vocabulary lists containing lye
"Everyday Use" by Alice Walker
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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
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Old Yeller
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ed Lye, also from Penmaenmawr, said he was unhappy because it was the third year in a row he saw a large increase.
From BBC • Apr. 7, 2025
Lye, a former PGA Tour golfer, alleges that he was told that he couldn’t appear on the Saturday night show and was fired on Sunday morning.
From Washington Times • Feb. 9, 2022
Who knew That the smallest of bases Could make a Big Lye!
From Washington Post • Oct. 14, 2021
She fired the ball to catcher Aubree Munro, who tagged pinch-runner Joey Lye out at the plate.
From Fox News • Jul. 22, 2021
Gibs., which is derived by Lye from the Cimbr.
From The Lay of Havelok the Dane by Unknown
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
