HARD WATER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does hard water mean? 

• HARD WATER (noun)
  The noun HARD WATER has 1 sense:

1. water that contains mineral salts (as calcium and magnesium ions) that limit the formation of lather with soap

  Familiarity information: HARD WATER used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HARD WATER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Water that contains mineral salts (as calcium and magnesium ions) that limit the formation of lather with soap

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("hard water" is a kind of...):

H2O; water (binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent)

Antonym:

soft water (water that is not hard (does not contain mineral salts that interfere with the formation of lather with soap))