English Dictionary

ALUM

Pronunciation (US): Play  (GB): Play

IPA (US): 

 Dictionary entry overview: What does alum mean? 

ALUM (noun)
  The noun ALUM has 4 senses:

1. a white crystalline double sulfate of aluminum: the ammonium double sulfate of aluminumplay

2. a white crystalline double sulfate of aluminum: the potassium double sulfate of aluminumplay

3. a person who has received a degree from a school (high school or college or university)play

4. a double sulphate of aluminum and potassium that is used as an astringent (among other things)play

  Familiarity information: ALUM used as a noun is uncommon.


 Dictionary entry details 


ALUM (noun)


Sense 1

Meaning:

A white crystalline double sulfate of aluminum: the ammonium double sulfate of aluminum

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

alum; ammonia alum; ammonium alum

Hypernyms ("alum" is a kind of...):

Al; aluminium; aluminum; atomic number 13 (a silvery ductile metallic element found primarily in bauxite)

double salt (a solution of two simple salts that forms a single substance on crystallization)


Sense 2

Meaning:

A white crystalline double sulfate of aluminum: the potassium double sulfate of aluminum

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

alum; potash alum; potassium alum

Hypernyms ("alum" is a kind of...):

Al; aluminium; aluminum; atomic number 13 (a silvery ductile metallic element found primarily in bauxite)

double salt (a solution of two simple salts that forms a single substance on crystallization)


Sense 3

Meaning:

A person who has received a degree from a school (high school or college or university)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

alum; alumna; alumnus; grad; graduate

Hypernyms ("alum" is a kind of...):

bookman; scholar; scholarly person; student (a learned person (especially in the humanities); someone who by long study has gained mastery in one or more disciplines)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "alum"):

Ivy Leaguer (a student or graduate at an Ivy League school)

old boy (a former male pupil of a school)


Sense 4

Meaning:

A double sulphate of aluminum and potassium that is used as an astringent (among other things)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("alum" is a kind of...):

astringent; astringent drug; styptic (a drug that causes contraction of body tissues and canals)


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