hydrochloric acid

noun

1. a colorless or faintly yellow, corrosive, fuming liquid, HCl, used chiefly in chemical and industrial processes.

hydrochloric acid

/ ˌhaɪdrəˈklɒrɪk /

noun

1. the colourless or slightly yellow aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride: a strong acid used in many industrial and laboratory processes Formerly calledmuriatic acid

hydrochloric acid

/ hī′drə-klôr′ĭk /

1. A solution of hydrogen chloride in water, forming a very strong, poisonous, corrosive acid with a sharp odor. It is used in food processing, metal cleaning, and dyeing. Small amounts of hydrochloric acid are also secreted by the stomachs of animals for digestion.
2. Also called muriatic acid

Word History and Origins

Origin of hydrochloric acid¹

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

The reason Tums work so well is because their main ingredient, calcium carbonate is basic and when exposed to the hydrochloric acid in your stomach, the carbonate group binds to the hydrogen.

From Popular-Science

(b) Diseases of the stomach associated with deficient hydrochloric acid, as chronic gastritis and gastric cancer.

From Project Gutenberg

Diminished hydrochloric acid favors intestinal putrefaction.

From Project Gutenberg

They are dissolved by strong hydrochloric acid, and recrystallize as octahedra upon addition of ammonia.

From Project Gutenberg

Hydrochloric acid, which is thus loosely combined with proteids, is called "combined" hydrochloric acid.

From Project Gutenberg

Pepsin is rarely or never absent in the presence of free hydrochloric acid.

From Project Gutenberg