MORDANT

caustic, corrosive, erosive, vitriolic, mordant

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

black, grim, mordant

(adjective) harshly ironic or sinister; “black humor”; “a grim joke”; “grim laughter”; “fun ranging from slapstick clowning ... to savage mordant wit”

mordant

(noun) a substance used to treat leather or other materials before dyeing; aids in dyeing process

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Adjective

mordant (comparative more mordant, superlative most mordant)

Having or showing a sharp or critical quality

Synonyms: biting, caustic, sarcastic, keen, severe

Serving to fix a dye to a fibre.

Noun

mordant (countable and uncountable, plural mordants)

Any substance used to facilitate the fixing of a dye to a fibre; usually a metallic compound which reacts with the dye using chelation.

Any corrosive substance used in etching.

A glutinous size used as a ground for gilding, to make the gold leaf adhere.

Synonyms

• (substance for etching): etchant

Verb

mordant (third-person singular simple present mordants, present participle mordanting, simple past and past participle mordanted)

(transitive) To subject to the action of, or imbue with, a mordant.

Anagrams

• dormant

Source: Wiktionary

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Mor"dant, a. Etym: [F., p.pr. of mordere to bite; L. mordere. See Morsel.]

1. Biting; caustic; sarcastic; keen; severe.

2. (Dyeing & Calico Printing)

Definition: Serving to fix colors.

Mor"dant, n. Etym: [F., originally, biting.]

1. Any corroding substance used in etching.

2. (Dyeing & Calico Printing)

Definition: Any substance, as alum or copperas, which, having a twofold attraction for organic fibers and coloring matter, serves as a bond of union, and thus gives fixity to, or bites in, the dyes.

3. (Gilding)

Definition: Any sticky matter by which the gold leaf is made to adhere.

Mor"dant, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mordanted; p. pr. & vb. n. Mordanting.]

Definition: To subject to the action of, or imbue with, a mordant; as, to mordant goods for dyeing.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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