carbonic acid

noun

A weak unstable acid, H₂CO₃, known only in solution, and as carbonate salts; it is present in carbonated drinks, and sparkling wine, but decomposes to form carbon dioxide and water.

Similar
H₂CO₃
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Meanings

nouncarbonic acid (uncountable)
  1. uncountablechemistryA weak unstable acid, H₂CO₃, known only in solution, and as carbonate salts; it is present in carbonated drinks, and sparkling wine, but decomposes to form carbon dioxide and water.

    Had she lived now, she would have talked of the last delightful lecture on gas, or the charming new treatise on carbonic acid; she would have studied German, and delighted in the society of "talented people."

    1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, pages 110–111
    1 more example

    [I]t sank down through the air and poured over the ground in a manner rather liquid than gaseous, abandoning the hills, and streaming into the valleys and ditches and water-courses even as I have heard the carbonic acid gas that pours from volcanic clefts is wont to do.

    1898, H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds, London: William Heinemann, page 144

    Synonyms: H₂CO₃

  2. obsoleteuncountableCarbon dioxide.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA weak unstable acid, H₂CO₃, known only in solution, and as carbonate salts; it is present in carbonated drinks, and sparkling wine, but decomposes to form carbon dioxide and water.

Similar
H₂CO₃
Also see
mephitic acid

Translations

Basque azido karboniko
  • azido karbonikoA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Brazilian Portuguese ácido carbônico
  • ácido carbônicoA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Bulgarian въглеродна киселина
  • въглеродна киселина (văglerodna kiselina)A weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Catalan àcid carbònic
  • àcid carbònicA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Chinese Mandarin 碳酸
  • 碳酸 (tànsuān)A weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Czech kyselina uhličitá
  • kyselina uhličitáA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Danish kulsyre
  • kulsyreA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Dutch koolzuur, diwaterstofcarbonaat
  • koolzuurA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
  • diwaterstofcarbonaatA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Esperanto karbonika acido, karbonata acido
  • karbonika acidoA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
  • karbonata acidoA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Estonian süsihape
  • süsihapeA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
European Portuguese ácido carbónico
  • ácido carbónicoA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Finnish hiilihappo
  • hiilihappoA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
French acide carbonique
  • acide carboniqueA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
German Kohlensäure
  • KohlensäureA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Greek ανθρακικό οξύ
  • ανθρακικό οξύ (anthrakikó oxý)A weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Hungarian szénsav
  • szénsavA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Icelandic kolsýra
  • kolsýraA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Irish aigéad carbónach
  • aigéad carbónachA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Italian acido carbonico
  • acido carbonicoA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Japanese 炭酸
  • 炭酸 (tansan)A weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Korean 탄산
  • 탄산 (tansan)A weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Latvian ogļskābe
  • ogļskābeA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Lithuanian anglies rūgštis
  • anglies rūgštisA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Malay asid karbonik
  • asid karbonikA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Māori waikawa waro
  • waikawa waroA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Norwegian Bokmål karbonsyre, kullsyre
  • karbonsyreA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
  • kullsyreA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Polish kwas węglowy
  • kwas węglowyA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Romanian acid carbonic
  • acid carbonicA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Russian углекислота́, у́гольная кислота́
  • углекислота́ (uglekislotá)A weak unstable acid, H2CO3
  • у́гольная кислота́ (úgolʹnaja kislotá)A weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Slovak kyselina uhličitá
  • kyselina uhličitáA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Spanish ácido carbónico
  • ácido carbónicoA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Swedish kolsyra
  • kolsyraA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Thai กรดคาร์บอนิก
  • กรดคาร์บอนิกA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Turkish karbonik asit
  • karbonik asitA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Welsh asid carbonig
  • asid carbonigA weak unstable acid, H2CO3
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

Source: carbonic acid on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.