Alkalinizer

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A substance added to a liquid or body fluid to make it more alkaline and raise its pH level
2. An agent that increases the alkalinity of a solution, soil, or bodily fluid by neutralizing acids
3. Something that makes a material or fluid less acidic by introducing alkaline compounds into it

Etymology: An alkalinizer is a substance that makes a solution or the body's fluids more alkaline, and the name is a plain modern compound. It is built from "alkali," which entered English in the 1500s from Medieval Latin "alkali," borrowed from Arabic "al-qaly," meaning "the ashes of the saltwort plant," since such ashes were a classic source of soda. The "-ize" suffix comes from Greek "-izein," used to form verbs meaning "to make into" or "to treat with," and the agent noun ending "-er" marks something that performs the action. Because alkalinizer is a technical coinage built from these parts, its earliest uses date to the modern era of chemistry and medicine rather than to any classical period. Its spelling with "z" is the American form, while British writers often use "alkaliniser."

Synonyms: alkalizer, alkalizing agent, base

Antonyms: acidifier, acidulant