Caustic was formed in Middle English as an adjective describing chemical substances, such as lime and lye, that are capable of destroying or eating away at something. The word is based on the Latin …

CAUSTIC definition: capable of burning, corroding, or destroying living tissue. See examples of caustic used in a sentence.

Definition of caustic adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

CAUSTIC definition: 1. A caustic chemical burns or destroys things, especially anything made of living cells: 2. A…. Learn more.

The problem is the wildly swerving tone – from obnoxious to sentimental to caustic to maudlin to pointlessly vile.

Caustic (mathematics), the envelope of rays reflected or refracted by a manifold Caustic (optics), optic phenomenon due to light rays reflecting/refracting through curved surfaces/objects

An agent or preparation having an effect on the skin or other tissues resembling that of a burn caused by heat; spec. (more fully potential caustic) one that is used to destroy abnormal tissue.

Mar 14, 2026 · caustic (countable and uncountable, plural caustics) Any substance or means which, applied to animal or other organic tissue, burns, corrodes, or destroys it by chemical action; an …

Caustic typically refers to a substance that is able to burn or corrode organic tissue by chemical reaction. In a broader sense, it can also describe a style of speaking or writing that is harshly critical, bitter or …

capable of burning, corroding, or destroying living tissue. severely critical or sarcastic: a caustic remark. n. a caustic substance. See caustic curve. See caustic surface. caus•tic•i•ty (kô stis′ i tē), …