Alum Definition
ăləm
alums
noun
alums
A double sulfate of a monovalent metal or radical (as sodium, potassium, or ammonium) with a trivalent metal (as aluminum, iron, or chromium): it is used as an astringent, as an emetic, and in the manufacture of baking powders, dyes, and paper: the most common form is potash alum (potassium aluminum sulfate), KAl(SO4)212H2O.
Webster's New World
An alumna or alumnus.
American Heritage
Aluminum sulfate.
Webster's New World
Any of various double sulfates of a trivalent metal such as aluminum, chromium, or iron and a univalent metal such as potassium or sodium, especially hydrous aluminum potassium sulfate, AlK(SO4 )2 · 12H2 O, widely used in industry as clarifiers, hardeners, and purifiers and medicinally as topical astringents and styptics.
American Heritage Medicine
Synonyms:
- grad
- graduate
- alumnus
- alumna
- ammonium alum
- ammonia alum
- potash-alum
- potassium alum
verb
To steep in, or otherwise impregnate with, a solution of alum; to treat with alum.
Wiktionary
Other Word Forms of Alum
Noun
Singular:
alum
Plural:
alumsOrigin of Alum
-
From Anglo-Norman alum, alume et al., Middle French allume, from Latin alūmen (“alumen”).
From Wiktionary
-
From alumnus and alumna, by removal of the non-native, gender-specific endings.
From Wiktionary
Middle English from Old French from Latin alūmen
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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