caustic

Meaning

Adj

1. Capable of burning, corroding or destroying organic tissue.
2. Sharp, bitter, cutting, biting, and sarcastic in a scathing way.

Noun

1. Any substance or means which, applied to animal or other organic tissue, burns, corrodes, or destroys it by chemical action; an escharotic.
2. The envelope of reflected or refracted rays of light for a given surface or object.
3. The envelope of reflected or refracted rays for a given curve.
4. (informal) Caustic soda.

Synonyms

sarcastic

biting

corrosive

acrid

bitter

mordant

sharp

vitriolic

acrimonious

pungent

acid

acerb

acerbic

derisive

stinging

blistering

sulphurous

cutting

malicious

tart

virulent

erosive

pointed

sulfurous

poignant

mocking

burning

harsh

ironic

ironical

keen

satirical

scathing

severe

sharp-tongued

snappish

spiteful

trenchant

corrosive agent

peppery

piercing

hard

evil

punchy

eroding

rancorous

saline

edged

sardonic

acute

scalding

waspish

scorching

corrodent

corrosion

erodent

shrill

slashing

smart

corrosive chemicals

snappy

sneering

sweltery

spotlight

causticity

strained

strident

bristly

bilious

sweltering

astringent

teasing

tongue-lashing

torrid

photospot

venomous

vicious

arrowy

malevolent

malignant

incisive

mordacious

hot

🥵

nasty

nipping

nippy

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈkɔːstɪk/

Etymology

From the Latin causticus (“burning”), from Ancient Greek καυστικός (kaustikós, “burning”), from καυστός (kaustós, “burnt”) + -ικός (-ikós).