potassium hydroxide

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. a white, deliquescent, water-soluble solid, KOH, usually in the form of lumps, sticks, or pellets, that upon solution in water generates heat: used chiefly in the manufacture of soap, as a laboratory reagent, and as a caustic.

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potassium hydroxide British  

noun

1. Also called: caustic potash.  a white deliquescent alkaline solid used in the manufacture of soap, liquid shampoos, and detergents. Formula: KOH See also lye

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potassium hydroxide Scientific  

1. A white, corrosive, solid compound used in bleaches and to make soaps and detergents. It is deliquescent, soluble in water and very soluble in alcohol. In solution, it forms lye. Chemical formula: KOH.

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Etymology

Origin of potassium hydroxide

First recorded in 1880–85

Compare meaning

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

• potassium hydroxide vs. sodium hydroxide

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

potassium hydroxide

"The resulting material is like a sponge that can absorb large quantities of CO2 via the potassium hydroxide," Mezzenga explains.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 11, 2026

The process, known as resomation, uses a mix of potassium hydroxide and water to break down human remains in what is billed as a more sustainable option.

From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2023

The low-impact act of dissolving a body in a mixture of water and potassium hydroxide, called alkaline hydrolysis, is now allowed in 20 states.

From Slate ● Oct. 31, 2022

Aqueous solutions of phosphoric acid and potassium hydroxide react to produce aqueous potassium dihydrogen phosphate and liquid water.

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

When bromine is added to a hot concentrated solution of potassium hydroxide there is formed a mixture of potassium bromide and potassium bromate in accordance with the reactions already discussed.

From An Elementary Study of Chemistry by McPherson, William