What does alkalise mean?
Alkalise is a chiefly British verb meaning to make a substance alkaline or, in intransitive use, to become alkaline. In chemistry, water treatment, agriculture and industrial processing, it usually refers to adding an alkali or otherwise increasing pH. The result need not be neutral: alkalising acidic water can leave it acidic, neutral or alkaline, depending on the starting conditions and the quantity of base added. For that reason, alkalise is not simply a synonym of neutralise, although the processes may overlap. The word belongs mainly to technical and environmental language rather than ordinary conversation, but it is also useful when describing soil treatment, industrial effluent and controlled chemical reactions. Its US spelling is alkalize. The related noun alkalisation denotes the process, while alkaline and alkalinity describe an alkaline state or property. Alkalise is therefore more precise than the broad phrase ‘make basic’: it specifically concerns an increase in alkalinity or pH.
verbTo make a substance alkaline, especially by adding an alkali or otherwise increasing its pH; also, to become alkaline or acquire a higher pH.
- To make a substance alkaline or raise its pH by adding an alkali.
- To become alkaline or increase in alkalinity.
"Adding lime alkalises the soil and reduces its acidity."
"Adding lime alkalises the soil and makes it less acidic."
"The treatment plant uses a controlled alkali solution to alkalise the water."
Alkalising something raises its pH, but it does not automatically make the substance neutral.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of alkalise
Alkalise was formed in English from alkali with the suffix -ise. Alkali was borrowed through medieval Latin from Arabic al-qaly, meaning ‘ashes of the soda plant’, and belongs to a wider family that includes alkaline, alkalinity and alkaloid.
Related word forms
How alkalise is actually used
Alkalise is the standard British spelling, while alkalize is the standard US spelling. It is chiefly used in technical contexts such as chemistry, water treatment, agriculture, food processing and industrial waste management. Unlike neutralise, it specifically concerns making something alkaline or increasing its pH and does not necessarily imply that the substance becomes neutral.
Easily confused with alkalise
Alkalise is the verb describing the process of making something alkaline or becoming alkaline, whereas alkaline is the adjective describing an alkaline substance or state.