mordant

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English

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Etymology

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From French mordant, from Latin mordeō. Doublet of mordent.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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mordant (comparative more mordant, superlative most mordant)

  1. Having or showing a sharp or critical quality
    Synonyms: biting, caustic, keen, sarcastic, severe
  2. Serving to fix a dye to a fibre.
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Translations

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Noun

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mordant (countable and uncountable, plural mordants)

  1. Any substance used to facilitate the fixing of a dye to a fibre; usually a metallic compound which reacts with the dye using chelation.
    • 1964, L.F. Salzman, English Industries of the Middle Ages, page 208:
      In dyeing two mediums are required, the colouring matter and the mordant which fixes the dye in the wool.
  2. Any corrosive substance used in etching.
  3. A glutinous size used as a ground for gilding, to make the gold leaf adhere.

Synonyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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Verb

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mordant (third-person singular simple present mordants, present participle mordanting, simple past and past participle mordanted)

  1. (transitive) To subject to the action of, or imbue with, a mordant.
    Mordant these goods for dyeing.

Translations

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See also

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Anagrams

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French

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Pronunciation

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Participle

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mordant

  1. present participle of mordre

Adjective

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mordant (feminine mordante, masculine plural mordants, feminine plural mordantes)

  1. biting, sharp, acrid
  2. mordant
  3. corrosive

Noun

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mordant m (plural mordants)

  1. (music) mordent (ornament consisting of a single alternation between a given pitch and the one immediately below it)

Further reading

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Anagrams

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Romanian

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Etymology

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Borrowed from French mordant.

Adjective

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mordant m or n (feminine singular mordantă, masculine plural mordanți, feminine and neuter plural mordante)

  1. mordant

Declension

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