caustic en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˈkɑstɪk/ (cot-caught-merger)
- kôs'tĭk
- /ˈkɒstɪk/ (Northern-England, Received-Pronunciation, Wales)
- /ˈkoːstɪk/ (Australia, British, Southern, Standard)
- /ˈkɔːstɪk/ (Northern-England, Received-Pronunciation, Wales)
- /ˈkɔstɪk/ without the cot–caught merger
- /ˈkɔstɪk/ (Australia, British, Southern, Standard)
- (US) audio
- /ˈkoːstək/ (New-Zealand)
- kŏs'tĭk
- /ˈkɒstək/ (New-Zealand)
Etymology
From the Latin causticus (“burning”), from Ancient Greek καυστικός (kaustikós, “burning”), from καυστός (kaustós, “burnt”) + -ικός (-ikós).
Meanings
- Capable of burning, corroding or destroying organic tissue.
-
(of language, usually) Sharp, bitter, cutting, biting, and sarcastic in a scathing way.
Madame Beck esteemed me learned and blue; Miss Fanshawe, caustic, ironic, and cynical
1853, Charlotte Brontë, Villette:The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again;[…]. Our table in the dining-room became again the abode of scintillating wit and caustic repartee, Farrar bracing up to his old standard, and the demand for seats in the vicinity rose to an animated competition.
1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter VIII, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:this set of worthies, who were only too prone to shut up their emotions with caustic words.
1886, Thomas Hardy, The Mayor of Casterbridge:though he came too late / To join the martyrs, there was still a place / Among the tempters for a caustic tongue / / To test the resolution of the young / With tales of the small failings of the great
c. 1930, W.H.Auden, The Quest:"How now!" said Scrooge, caustic and cold as ever.
1843, Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol:The Secretary and the Assistant-Secretaries would say little caustic things about him to the senior clerks, and seemed somewhat to begrudge him his new honours.
1857, Anthony Trollope, The Three Clerks:The bargain was not concluded as easily as might have been expected though, for Scadder was caustic and ill-humoured, and cast much unnecessary opposition in the way
1843, Charles Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most caustic | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more caustic | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Deriveds
caustic barley · caustic ammonia · causticize · causticness · caustic potash · caustification · caustic wood alkali · caustic soda · caustic alkali · caustic pencil · Indian caustic barley · diacaustic · causticise · galvanocaustic · caustic volatile alkali · causticism · caustic curve · caustic sulphite caramel · caustically · postcaustic · noncaustic · causticity · caustic surface · caustic marine alkali · catacaustic · caustic lime
Relateds
hypocaust · holocaust · cauterize · ink · encaustic · homocaust
Synonyms
nasty (severe, sharp) · searing (capable of destroying tissue) · sarcastic (severe, sharp) · burning (capable of destroying tissue) · acidic (capable of destroying tissue) · pungent (severe, sharp) · scathing (severe, sharp) · sharp (severe, sharp) · spiteful (severe, sharp) · biting (severe, sharp) · mordacious (severe, sharp) · bitchy (severe, sharp) · biting (capable of destroying tissue) · vitriolic (severe, sharp) · catty (severe, sharp) · corrosive (capable of destroying tissue)
Translations (51)
gd loisgeach (capable of destroying organic tissue) · pl kaustyczny (capable of destroying organic tissue) · da kaustisk (capable of destroying organic tissue) · es cáustico (capable of destroying organic tissue) · de sarkastisch (severe; satirical; sharp) · da skarp (severe; satirical; sharp) · da ætsende (severe; satirical; sharp) · pt cáustico (capable of destroying organic tissue) · bg хаплив (severe; satirical; sharp) · hu maró (capable of destroying organic tissue) · nl schamper (severe; satirical; sharp) · bg язвителен (severe; satirical; sharp) · fi pureva (severe; satirical; sharp) · el καυστικός (capable of destroying organic tissue) · nl streng (severe; satirical; sharp) · de ätzend (severe; satirical; sharp) · fi kaustinen (capable of destroying organic tissue) · nn kaustisk (capable of destroying organic tissue) · bg разяждащ (capable of destroying organic tissue) · de zersetzend (capable of destroying organic tissue) · mn идэмхий (capable of destroying organic tissue) · ota آجی (severe; satirical; sharp) · fi syövyttävä (capable of destroying organic tissue) · it caustico (capable of destroying organic tissue) · fi ivallinen (severe; satirical; sharp) · pt cáustico (severe; satirical; sharp) · cs sžíravý (severe; satirical; sharp) · it caustico (severe; satirical; sharp) · uk каустичний (capable of destroying organic tissue) · nb kaustisk (capable of destroying organic tissue) · da ætsende (capable of destroying organic tissue) · uk уїдливий (severe; satirical; sharp) · pl żrący (capable of destroying organic tissue) · yue 尖酸嘅 (severe; satirical; sharp) · el καυστικός (severe; satirical; sharp) · ca càustic (capable of destroying organic tissue) · nl corrosief (capable of destroying organic tissue) · ast cáusticu (capable of destroying organic tissue) · de beißend (severe; satirical; sharp) · ru е́дкий (capable of destroying organic tissue) · nl bijtend (severe; satirical; sharp) · gl cáustico (capable of destroying organic tissue) · uk їдкий (capable of destroying organic tissue) · nl scherp (severe; satirical; sharp) · de scharf (severe; satirical; sharp) · de beißend (capable of destroying organic tissue) · cs žíravý (capable of destroying organic tissue) · fi myrkyllinen (severe; satirical; sharp) · nl bijtend (capable of destroying organic tissue) · da bidende (severe; satirical; sharp) · de bissig (severe; satirical; sharp)