alkali /al″kəlī/ [Ar, al + galiy, wood ash] , a compound with the chemical characteristics of a base. Usually used with reference to hydroxides of Group I metals and ammonium, alkalis combine with fatty acids to form soaps, turn red litmus blue, and enter into reactions with carbon dioxide that form water-soluble carbonates. See also acid, base. −alkaline, adj., −alkalinity, n., −alkalize, v.
