acid
acid Lexical Profile
acid Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A chemical substance, typically a corrosive or sour-tasting liquid, that neutralizes alkalis, dissolves certain metals, turns litmus red, and has a pH of less than 7.
"The students wore protective goggles while diluting the hydrochloric acid in the laboratory."
The synthetic hallucinogenic drug lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD).
"Counterculture musicians of the late 1960s were heavily influenced by experiments with acid."
• adjective
Containing acid or having the chemical properties of an acid; having a pH of less than 7.
"Blueberries and azaleas thrive best in moist, acid soil."
Having a sharp, sour, or biting taste like that of vinegar or lemon juice.
"The unripe plums had a fiercely acid flavor that made her pucker."
Sharp, biting, or fiercely critical in tone, manner, or expression.
"The theater critic was notorious for his acid wit and unforgiving reviews."
Word Nuance & Usage
While both 'acid' and 'acidic' serve as adjectives, 'acidic' is generally preferred in scientific and technical contexts (e.g., 'acidic soil'), whereas 'acid' is more common for figurative sharpness ('acid remarks') or established compounds ('acid rain').
• Rhymes for acid
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 17th century from French acide or directly from Latin acidus ('sour, sharp'), derived from the verb acere ('to be sour'), from the Proto-Indo-European root *ak- ('sharp, pointed').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.