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Added 9 October 2026

caustic

/ˈkɔːstɪk/ noun

Latin root: causticus Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about caustic at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Any chemical substance that burns or destroys living tissue.

adjective

Harsh or corrosive in tone.
an acerbic tone piercing otherwise flowery prose
Of a substance, especially a strong acid; capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action.

Origin

From the Latin causticus (“burning”), from Ancient Greek καυστικός (kaustikós, “burning”), from καυστός (kaustós, “burnt”) + -ικός (-ikós).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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