What does corrosive mean?

Definitions for corrosive
kəˈroʊ sɪvcor·ro·sive

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word corrosive.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. corrosiveadjective

    a substance having the tendency to cause corrosion (such a strong acids or alkali)

  2. caustic, corrosive, erosive, vitriolic, mordantadjective

    of a substance, especially a strong acid; capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action

  3. corrosiveadjective

    spitefully sarcastic

    "corrosive cristism"

Wiktionary

  1. corrosivenoun

    That which has the quality of eating or wearing away gradually.

  2. corrosivenoun

    Any solid, liquid or gas capable of irreparably harming living tissues or damaging material on contact.

  3. corrosiveadjective

    Eating away; having the power of gradually wearing, hanging, or destroying the texture or substance of a body; as the corrosive action of an acid.

  4. corrosiveadjective

    Having the quality of fretting or vexing.

  5. corrosiveadjective

    destroying or undermining something gradually

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Corrosiveadjective

    Etymology: from corrodo, Latin.

    Gold, after it has been divided by corrosive liquors into invisible parts, yet may presently be precipitated, so as to appear again in its own form. Nehemiah Grew, Cosmol. b. i. c. 2. s. 12.

    The sacred sons of vengeance, on whose course
    Corrosive famine waits, and kills the year. James Thomson, Spring.

    If the maintenance of ceremonies be a corrosive to such as oppugn them, undoubtedly to such as maintain them it can be no great pleasure, when they behold that which they reverence is oppugned. Richard Hooker, b. iv. sect. 10.

  2. Corrosivenoun

    He meant his corrosives to apply,
    And with strict diet tame his stubborn malady. Fairy Queen.

    Such speeches favour not of God in him that useth them, and unto virtuously disposed minds they are grievous corrosives. Richard Hooker, b. v. sect. 33.

    Away; though parting be a fretful corrosive,
    It is applied to a deathful wound. William Shakespeare, Henry VI. p. i.

    Care is no cure, but rather corrosive,
    For things that are not to be remedied. William Shakespeare, Henry VI.

Wikipedia

  1. corrosive

    A corrosive substance is one that will damage or destroy other substances with which it comes into contact by means of a chemical reaction.

ChatGPT

  1. corrosive

    Corrosive refers to a substance that has the ability to damage or destroy other substances on contact by means of a chemical reaction. It generally refers to solids, liquids or gases that can degrade or wear away materials, including metals, skin, eyes, respiratory systems, and the environment.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Corrosiveadjective

    eating away; having the power of gradually wearing, changing, or destroying the texture or substance of a body; as, the corrosive action of an acid

  2. Corrosiveadjective

    having the quality of fretting or vexing

  3. Corrosivenoun

    that which has the quality of eating or wearing away gradually

  4. Corrosivenoun

    that which has the power of fretting or irritating

  5. Etymology: [Cf. F. corrosif.]

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

How to pronounce corrosive?

How to say corrosive in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of corrosive in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of corrosive in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of corrosive in a Sentence

  1. Timothy Heath:

    Due to the corrosive effects of salt and humidity in the islands, HQ-9 missile systems must be removed and sent back to the mainland for maintenance periodically.

  2. Joe Goldman:

    The amount of lies that came out of this presidency was corrosive to our political culture, in theory, you could pass new laws to address many of the norm violations we saw under Trump. But earning back people's trust is much harder to do.

  3. Charlton Heston:

    Celebrity is a corrosive condition for the soul. I have tried to restrain its inroads on me, but there are odd corners of my character that have been harmed

  4. Marc Morial:

    I'm extremely concerned that these efforts will have an impact, that's why we have to do everything in the courts, in the political arena, in the court of public opinion, to organize efforts to counteract it. We have to counteract it because it is so corrosive and so damaging to American democracy.

  5. Vice President Joe Biden:

    If we build walls and disrespect our neighbors, we will quickly see all this progress evaporating, replaced by a return of anti-Americanism, a corrosive rift throughout our hemisphere.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

corrosive#10000#29440#100000

Translations for corrosive

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

Get even more translations for corrosive »

Translation

Find a translation for the corrosive definition in other languages:

Select another language:

  • - Select -
  • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
  • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Esperanto (Esperanto)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Русский (Russian)
  • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • עברית (Hebrew)
  • Gaeilge (Irish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • اردو (Urdu)
  • Magyar (Hungarian)
  • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
  • Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • தமிழ் (Tamil)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • తెలుగు (Telugu)
  • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  • Čeština (Czech)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Românește (Romanian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Ελληνικά (Greek)
  • Latinum (Latin)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
  • Dansk (Danish)
  • Suomi (Finnish)
  • فارسی (Persian)
  • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
  • հայերեն (Armenian)
  • Norsk (Norwegian)
  • English (English)

Word of the Day

Would you like us to send you a FREE new word definition delivered to your inbox daily?

Please enter your email address:


Citation

Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"corrosive." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 18 Jan. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/corrosive>.

Discuss these corrosive definitions with the community:

0 Comments

    Are we missing a good definition for corrosive? Don't keep it to yourself...

    Image or illustration of

    corrosive

    Credit »

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Quiz

    Are you a words master?

    »
    a small contrasting part of something
    A howdah
    B maculation
    C fervidness
    D hypostatization

    Nearby & related entries:

    Alternative searches for corrosive: