The quality or degree to which a substance is alkaline, meaning it has a pH greater than 7 and can neutralize acids.
From Arabic 'al-qali' (plant ashes) + Latin '-inity' (quality suffix). The term emerged in chemistry during the 18th century to describe basic substances that are opposite to acids.
Alkalinity is why baking soda fizzes when you add it to vinegar—the base (baking soda) reacts with the acid (vinegar). Ocean alkalinity is actually becoming a focus for climate scientists trying to combat ocean acidification caused by carbon dioxide!
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