potassa

P3O1T1A1S1S1A1

noun

The chemical compound potassium hydroxide.

Similar
caustic potashpotash lye
OriginDutch potasch ← Middle Dutch asche ← Old Dutch *aska →
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Meanings

nounpotassa (uncountable)
  1. obsoleteuncountableThe chemical compound potassium hydroxide.

    Liebich […] has investigated the action of potassa upon tannocaffeic acid.

    1852, Justus von Liebig, Annual Report of the Progress of Chemistry and the Allied Sciences, page 221

    Synonyms: caustic potash, potash lye

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe chemical compound potassium hydroxide.

Similar
caustic potashpotash lye
Also see
potassium hydroxide

Origin

  1. Proto-Germanic*puttaz
  2. Frankish*pott
  3. Old Dutch*pot
  4. Middle Dutchpot
  5. Dutchpot
  6. Proto-Indo-European*h₂eHs-der.?
  7. Proto-Germanic*askǭ
  8. Proto-West Germanic*askā
  9. Old Dutch*aska
  10. Middle Dutchasche
  11. Dutchas
  12. Dutchpotas
  13. Dutchpotasch
  14. Englishpotassa

Borrowed from Dutch potasch (“potash”). Doublet of potash.

More words from Dutch

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

potassa. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/potassa

MLA

“potassa.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/potassa. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “potassa,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/potassa.

Source: potassa on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.