mordant

mor·dant

 (môr′dnt)

adj.

1.

a. Bitingly sarcastic: mordant satire.

b. Incisive and trenchant: an inquisitor's mordant questioning.

2. Bitingly painful.

3. Serving to fix colors in dyeing.

n.

1. A reagent, such as tannic acid, that fixes dyes to cells, tissues, or textiles or other materials.

2. A corrosive substance, such as an acid, used in etching.

tr.v. mor·dant·ed, mor·dant·ing, mor·dants

To treat with a mordant.

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[French, from Old French, present participle of mordre, to bite, from Vulgar Latin *mordere, from Latin mordēre; see mer- in Indo-European roots.]

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mor′dan·cy n.

mor′dant·ly adv.

mordant

(ˈmɔːdənt)

adj

1. sarcastic or caustic

2. having the properties of a mordant

3. pungent

n

4. (Dyeing) a substance used before the application of a dye, possessing the ability to fix colours in textiles, leather, etc. See also lake²¹

5. (Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) an acid or other corrosive fluid used to etch lines on a printing plate

vb

(Dyeing) (tr) to treat (a fabric, yarn, etc) with a mordant

[C15: from Old French: biting, from mordre to bite, from Latin mordēre]

ˈmordancy n

ˈmordantly adv

mor•dant

(ˈmɔr dnt)
adj.

1. sharply caustic or sarcastic; biting; cutting: mordant wit.

2. burning; corrosive.

3. having the property of fixing colors, as in dyeing.

n.

4. a substance used in dyeing to fix the coloring matter.

5. an acid or other corrosive substance used in etching.

v.t.

6. to impregnate or treat with a mordant.

[1425–75; late Middle English < Middle French, present participle of mordre to bite « Latin mordēre; see -ant]

mor′dan•cy, n.

mor′dant•ly, adv.

mordant

Past participle: mordanted
Gerund: mordanting

Imperative

mordant

mordant

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	mordant - a substance used to treat leather or other materials before dyeing; aids in dyeing process chrome alum - a violet-colored salt used in hide tanning and as a mordant in dyeing antimony potassium tartrate, tartar emetic - a poisonous colorless salt used as a mordant and in medicine coloring material, colour, colouring material, color - any material used for its color; "she used a different color for the trim" sodium bichromate, sodium dichromate - a red-orange salt used as a mordant
Adj.	1.	mordant - harshly ironic or sinister; "black humor"; "a grim joke"; "grim laughter"; "fun ranging from slapstick clowning ... to savage mordant wit" grim, black sarcastic - expressing or expressive of ridicule that wounds
	2.	mordant - of a substance, especially a strong acid; capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action corrosive, erosive, vitriolic, caustic destructive - causing destruction or much damage; "a policy that is destructive to the economy"; "destructive criticism"

mordant

adjective sarcastic, cutting, biting, edged, sharp, acid, harsh, stinging, scathing, acrimonious, pungent, incisive, caustic, venomous, astringent, vitriolic, acerbic, trenchant, waspish, mordacious He describes the situation with mordant wit.

mordant

adjective

So sharp as to cause mental pain:

acerbic, acid, acidic, acrid, astringent, biting, caustic, corrosive, cutting, mordacious, pungent, scathing, sharp, slashing, stinging, trenchant, truculent, vitriolic.

Translations

beißendBeize

mordiente

julmapisteliäspuretinpureva

mordacemordente

매염매염제신랄한

mordant

[ˈmɔːdənt] ADJ → mordaz

mordant

[ˈmɔː^rd^ənt] adj (= caustic) → mordant(e)

mordant

adj → beißend, ätzend

mordant

[ˈmɔːdənt] adj (frm) (wit, humour) → mordace