Causticize
/ˈkɔː.stɪ.saɪz/noun
To convert a substance into a caustic form, especially by treating it with an alkali.
Did you know?Causticize is a chemical term built from the same Greek root that gave us words for burning and cauterizing, so its history is basically language alchemy turned industrial.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
kaustikos
“burning, fit for burning”
Late Latin
Latin
causticus
“burning, corrosive”
16th Century
French/Latin
caustique
“burning; corrosive”
19th Century
English
causticize
“to render caustic, especially by chemical treatment”
Modern English
English
causticize
“to convert a substance into a caustic form”
Explore more surprising origins