acidify

American  

[uh-sid-uh-fahy] / əˈsɪd əˌfaɪ /

verb (used with or without object)

acidified, acidifying

1. to make or become acid; convert into an acid.

2. to make or become sour.

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acidify British  

/ əˈsɪdɪˌfaɪ /

verb

1. to convert into or become acid

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Other Word Forms

• acidifiable adjective
• acidification noun
• acidifier noun
• reacidification noun
• reacidify verb
• semiacidified adjective

Etymology

Origin of acidify

First recorded in 1790–1800; acid + -ify

Explanation

To acidify something is to chemically turn it into an acid or make it more acidic. Farmers often acidify soil by adding fertilizer to it. When you acidify something, you increase its acid content or make it more sour. Too much carbon dioxide dissolving into oceans acidifies them, one of the many negative effects of global warming. When it comes to food, you're most likely to acidify a dish by adding citrus fruits, like lemons, which taste sour. The root word of the verb acidify is the Latin acidus, which means "sour or sharp."

Example Sentences

Sulfides also acidify the water, which can accelerate weathering.

From Science Daily • Apr. 23, 2024

But other scientists say even those could acidify because their outflow will slow as atmospheric concentrations surge.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 19, 2022

Together with one of her Ph.D. supervisors, JCU marine biologist Philip Munday, Dixson pioneered research into the effects on fish of rising CO2 levels in the atmosphere, which cause the oceans to acidify.

From Science Magazine • Aug. 9, 2022

Likewise, coral reefs that help support the fishing and tourism industries are dying off in record amounts as oceans warm and acidify.

From Salon • Mar. 7, 2020

Extract with water, acidify with acetic acid, and estimate volumetrically as described under Sulphur.

From A Text-book of Assaying: For the Use of Those Connected with Mines. by Beringer, Cornelius

Related Words

• fester
• ripen
• simmer