pearl ash

A form of pearlash — A white amorphous or granular substance which consists principally of potassium carbonate and has a strong alkaline reaction. It is obtained by lixiviating wood ashes and evaporating the lye, and has been an important source of potassium compounds. It is used in making soap, glass, etc.

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Meanings

nounpearl ash (countable and uncountable, plural pearl ashes)

plural pearl ashes

  1. alternativecountableuncountableAlternative form of pearlash.

    There are other articles also of great importance, which tho’ strictly speaking manufactures are omitted, as being immediately connected with husbandry: such are flour, pot & pearl ash, Pitch, tar, turpentine and the like.

    1791 December 5, Alexander Hamilton, “Alexander Hamilton’s Final Version of the Report on the Subject of Manufactures”, in Harold C. Syrett, editor, The Papers of Alexander Hamilton, volume 10, New York: Columbia University Press, published 1966, →LCCN, →OCLC
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

Source: pearl ash on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.