Meanings
plural alkaline earths · alternative alkaline-earth
- chemistryAny oxide of the elements of group II of the periodic table; they are not as basic as the alkalis, and not so soluble in water.
Four of the earths, namely, lime, baryta, strontia, and magnesia, possess alkaline properties to a considerable extent, and are hence called alkaline earths.
1846, editorial staff, “CHEMISTRY”, in Scientific American, series 1, Volume 2, Issue 13, page 102
Synonyms & antonyms
nounany of the bivalent metals of group II of the periodic table (calcium or strontium or barium or magnesium or beryllium)
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Cite this entry
alkaline earth. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alkaline%20earth
“alkaline earth.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alkaline%20earth. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “alkaline earth,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alkaline%20earth.
Source: alkaline earth on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.