Meanings
plural litmuses
- countableuncountableA simple test of acidity in a liquid using litmus, usually in the form of litmus paper.
- countableuncountableA simple test of any attribute; a litmus test.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA dyestuff extracted from certain lichens, that changes color when exposed to pH levels greater than or less than certain critical levels.
More synonyms by meaning
nouna coloring material (obtained from lichens) that turns red in acid solutions and blue in alkaline solutions; used as a very rough acid-base indicator
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*wel-“to see”
- Proto-Germanic*wlitiz
- Old Norselitmosi“moss used for dyeing”
- Middle Englishlitmose
- Englishlitmus
From Middle English litmose, lytmose, litemose, from Old Norse litmosi (“moss used for dyeing”), from lita (“to dye, stain”) + mosi (“moss”), the former from litr (“colour, dye, blee”), from Proto-Germanic *wlitiz, *wlituz (“appearance, blee”), from Proto-Indo-European *wel- (“to see”). Cognate with Old English wlite (“appearance, form, brightness, countenance”). More at moss.
More words from Middle English, Old Norse, Proto-Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian лакмус
- лакмус (lakmus)dyestuff from lichen
Chinese Mandarin 石蕊
- 石蕊 (shíruǐ)dyestuff from lichen
Czech lakmus
- lakmusdyestuff from lichen
Danish lakmus
- lakmusdyestuff from lichen
Dutch lakmoes
- lakmoesdyestuff from lichen
Finnish lakmus
- lakmusdyestuff from lichen
French tournesol
- tournesoldyestuff from lichen
German Lackmus
- Lackmusdyestuff from lichen
Greek ηλιοτρόπιο
- ηλιοτρόπιο (iliotrópio)dyestuff from lichen
Hungarian lakmusz
- lakmuszdyestuff from lichen
Italian tornasole
- tornasoledyestuff from lichen
Japanese リトマス
- リトマス (ritomasu)dyestuff from lichen
Korean 리트머스
- 리트머스 (riteumeoseu)dyestuff from lichen
Latin lacmus
- lacmusdyestuff from lichen
Māori tohu waikawa
- tohu waikawadyestuff from lichen
Persian تورنسل
- تورنسل (tornesol)dyestuff from lichen
Polish lakmus
- lakmusdyestuff from lichen
Portuguese tornassol
- tornassoldyestuff from lichen
Russian ла́кмус
- ла́кмус (lákmus)dyestuff from lichen
Spanish tornasol
- tornasoldyestuff from lichen
Swedish lackmus
- lackmusdyestuff from lichen
Tagalog tornasol
- tornasoldyestuff from lichen
Turkish turnusol, turnusol boyası
- turnusoldyestuff from lichen
- turnusol boyasıdyestuff from lichen
Vietnamese quỳ
- quỳdyestuff from lichen
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
litmus. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/litmus
“litmus.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/litmus. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “litmus,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/litmus.
Source: litmus on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.