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Showing results for acidic. Search instead for Acidific.
Synonyms

acidic

American  
[uh-sid-ik] / əˈsɪd ɪk /

adjective

  1. acid.

  2. Geology. acid.

  3. acid-forming.

  4. containing acid-bearing pollutants.

    Acidic runoff is poisoning the nation's rivers.


acidic British  
/ əˈsɪdɪk /

adjective

  1. another word for acid

  2. (of an oxide) yielding an acid in aqueous solution

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • nonacidic adjective
  • semiacidic adjective
  • unacidic adjective

Etymology

Origin of acidic

First recorded in 1875–80; acid + -ic

Explanation

Something that's acidic has a sour or sharp taste. Lemonade, especially if it's light on the sugar, tastes very acidic. Citrus fruits have a typically acidic flavor, and they qualify as acidic in the scientific definition of the word as well. In chemistry, something that's acidic has a low pH, as opposed to a base, which has a higher pH. Various kinds of acids and vinegar are also acidic. The word comes from acid, which originally meant "of the taste of vinegar," from the Latin word acidus, "sour or sharp."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing acidic

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The show's creator Lee Sung Jin gave the older pair "this acidic point of view towards the others while not seeing our own petty behaviour", the actor adds.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

The star of this recipe is firm green tomatoes — crisp, tart and deliciously acidic in flavor.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

Their findings suggest that inside lysosomes, this channel acts like an overflow valve, preventing the environment from becoming too acidic.

From Science Daily • Mar. 26, 2026

“It’s not acidic or negative. I genuinely love doing this,” he says.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

Goldfarb spoke again, his voice calm and acidic.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French