alcian blue

noun

Any of a family of basic copper-containing phthalocyanine dyes that are used to stain mucopolysaccharides.

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Meanings

nounalcian blue (countable and uncountable, plural alcian blues)

plural alcian blues

  1. countableuncountablechemistryAny of a family of basic copper-containing phthalocyanine dyes that are used to stain mucopolysaccharides.

Origin

Thought to derive from halcyon.

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Cite this entry
APA

alcian blue. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alcian%20blue

MLA

“alcian blue.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alcian%20blue. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “alcian blue,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alcian%20blue.

Source: alcian blue on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.