mordant 
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mor·dant (môr′dənt)
adjective
- biting, cutting, caustic, or sarcastic, as speech, wit, etc.
- causing corrosion
- acting as a mordant
Etymology: ME mordent < OFr mordant, prp. of mordre, to bite < L mordere < IE *merd-, var. of base *mer-: see morbid
noun
- a substance used in dyeing to fix the coloring matter, as a metallic compound that combines with the organic dye to form an insoluble colored compound, or lake, in the fiber of the fabric
- an acid or other corrosive substance used in etching to bite lines, areas, etc. into the surface
transitive verb
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Alternate definitions:
Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Converse of object
- use: Each metal has its own characteristic spectrum, enabling the mordant used to be identified.
Modifies a noun
- wit: He was a good speaker, lucid in his lectures, persuasive in conversation; and he had a mordant wit.
The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.
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MLA Style
"mordant." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009
- Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
- <www.yourdictionary.com/mordant>
APA Style
mordant. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary
- Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/mordant
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