Meaning
An astringent salt, usually occurring in the form of pale crystals, much used in the dyeing and tanning trade and in certain medicines, and now understood to be a double sulphate of potassium and aluminium (K₂SO₄·Al₂(SO₄)₃·24H₂O).
Etymology
Origin: Middle English
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂elut- Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Proto-Italic *-mn̥ Latin -men Latin alūmen Anglo-Norman alum, alunbor. Middle English alym, alyme, alum English alum From Middle English alum, alym, alyme, from Anglo-Norman alum, alun, from Latin alūmen.
Synonyms & Antonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 11 recorded puzzles: