Bleach Definition
(uncountable) A chemical, such as sodium hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide, or a preparation of such a chemical, used for disinfecting or whitening.
(countable) A variety of bleach.
- decoloration
- decolorization
- decolorizer
- achromatization
- whitening
- whitener
- blanching agent
- bleaching-agent
- etiolation
(archaic) Pale; bleak.
Origin of Bleach
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From Middle English blechen, from Old English blǣċan (“to bleach, whiten”), from Proto-Germanic *blaikijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to shine”). Cognate with Dutch bleken (“to bleach”), German bleichen (“to bleach”), Danish blege, Swedish bleka (“to bleach”). Related to Old English blāc (“pale”) (English blake; cf. also bleak).
From Wiktionary
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From Middle English bleche (also bleke), from Old English blǣċ, blǣc, variants of Old English blāc (“bright, shining, glittering, flashing; bleak, pale, pallid, wan, livid”), from Proto-Germanic *blaikaz (“pale, shining”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰlē- (“to shimmer, gleam, shine”). More at bleak.
From Wiktionary
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From Middle English bleche, from Old English blǣċu, blǣċo (“paleness, pallor”), from Proto-Germanic *blaikį̄ (“paleness”).
From Wiktionary
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Middle English blechen from Old English blǣcan bhel-1 in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From Middle English bleche, from Old English blǣċe (“irritation of the skin, leprosy; psoriasis”).
From Wiktionary
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