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alum¹ Definition

alum (al′əm)

noun

  1. a double sulfate of a monovalent metal or radical (as sodium, potassium, or ammonium) with a trivalent metal (as aluminum, iron, or chromium): it is used as an astringent, as an emetic, and in the manufacture of baking powders, dyes, and paper: the commonest form is potash alum (potassium aluminum sulfate), KAl(SO)·12HO
  2. aluminum sulfate: an erroneous use

Etymology: ME & OFr < L alumen, alum: for IE base see ale

alum² Definition

☆ alum (ə lum′)

noun

Informal an alumnus or alumna

alum Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • produce: Not far to the south at Kettleness, there were two mines, one producing alum and the producing iron ore.
  • make: Inventor of a process for making potash alum, used in textile dyeing.
  • use: However, leather objects made after 1884 were probably not processed using alum tanning ( Storch 1987 ).

Adjective modifier

  • pure: Crystal deodorant is a naturally occurring crystal of pure ammonium alum.
  • more: I'm looking forward to connecting with more alum, so drop me a line through my website.
  • new: Their new alum, Victory for the Common Muse, is out on June 19.

Modifies a noun

  • crystal: Use the same method as that for growing alum crystals.
  • summit: Alum summit participants see possibility of a BU media major.
  • participant: Alum summit participants see possibility of a BU media major.
  • shale: Finding plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs through working alum shale helps to scotch the suspicion that they are merely late deposits on it.
  • mining: One curious spin-off resulted from alum mining along those cliffs.
  • pot: Alum Pot via Main Shaft or Long Churn Cavern.

Noun used with modifier

  • ammonium: Crystal deodorant is a naturally occurring crystal of pure ammonium alum.
  • potash: Inventor of a process for making potash alum, used in textile dyeing.