caustic

caustic

/ˈkɔːstɪk/

1 ​(of a chemical substance) able to destroy or dissolve (= remove or destroy by a chemical process) other substances

a caustic cleaning product

caustic liquid that blisters the skin

a highly caustic chemical

2 ​critical in a bitter or sarcastic way

caustic comments/wit

Her speech was a caustic attack on government officials.

Word Origin

late Middle English: via Latin from Greek kaustikos, from kaustos ‘combustible’, from kaiein ‘to burn’.

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