Antalkalis

/ˌæntælˈkælis/ noun (plural)

Definition

Plural form of antalkali (variant); multiple acidic or alkaline-neutralizing substances.

Etymology

Variant plural of antalkali, using Latin-style nominative plural -is ending instead of English -ies. This reflects the hybrid nature of borrowed scientific terms.

Kelly Says

The existence of multiple plural forms (antalkalis vs. antalkalies) reveals how English speakers weren't sure how to pluralize borrowed words—should we follow English rules or keep the original pattern? This inconsistency eventually led to abandoning the whole term.

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