potash
/ˈpɒt.æʃ/
PⱰT · æʃ (2 syllables)
English
Noun
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Definition
The water-soluble part of wood ash, used for making soap and glass and as a fertilizer (chemically speaking, an impure form of potassium carbonate (K₂CO₃) mixed with other potassium salts).
Etymology
From pot + ash, because the substance was originally obtained by leaching ash in water and then boiling down the resulting solution in a pot. Compare Dutch potas, German Pottasche.
Example Sentences
- "permanganate of potash"
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