alcali

Forms

alcali m (plural alcalis)^[1] Older spellings alkali (1363) and alkalli (1509); alcali is recorded from 1688.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Arabic قلي (qaly, “soda (the plant)”) with the article ال (al-, “the”), taken through Medieval Latin alkali, recorded in England in 1215.^[2][5][6][7] The Arabic word named the ash of saltwort and other shore plants and the soda obtained from it.^[5][8] Etymonline relates it to an Arabic verb meaning “to roast in a pan”.^[9]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found as alkali in 1363, in the Grande chirurgie of Guy de Chauliac, for the saline product of the plant called soude (saltwort) and of a few other plants.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

In early chemistry the word kept the Arabic meaning, the soda drawn from plant ashes, and was then extended to basic salts produced by a series of metals.^[5] Furetière in 1690 defined it as a chemical salt ready to join with any acid.^[2] The old chemists distinguished alcalis fixes, potash and soda, from alcali volatil, ammonia.^[8][10] In commerce alcali still means an ammonia solution.^[5][10]

The derivatives alcalin (1691) and alcaloïde (1827) belong to the same chemistry.^[3][5] English alkali, from the same Medieval Latin word, is recorded from the late 14th century.^[9]

Timeline

• 1215 – Medieval Latin sal alkali is recorded in England.^[2]
• 1363 – Alkali appears in Guy de Chauliac's Grande chirurgie.^[2][4]
• late 14th century – English alkali “soda ash” is recorded.^[9]
• 1509 – Written alkalli.^[3][11]
• 1688 – The spelling alcali appears in Miège's French dictionary.^[2]
• 1690 – Furetière records it as a term of chemistry.^[2]
• 1691 – The adjective alcalin is recorded.^[3][5]
• 1827 – Alcaloïde is formed from it.^[3][5]

Meanings

Noun

1. (chemistry) An alkali: a general name for bases, especially the basic compounds that the alkali metals form with oxygen.^[10][8]
2. (dated) Alcali volatil: ammonia;^[10][8][11] alcalis fixes: potash and soda.^[10][8][11]
3. (commerce) An ammonia solution, or some basic ammonium salts: une bouteille d'alcali.^[10][5]
4. (obsolete) The shore plant (saltwort) whose ash yielded soda, or that ash itself.^[2][8]

Word family

• alcalin
• alcaloïde
• alcaliniser

Related words

• English alkali

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Wiktionnaire (French Wiktionary), fr.wiktionary.org
7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 19, 82a
8. ^ a b c d e f Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
10. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
11. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse