glauber's salt: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
RareTechnical / Historical / Medical
Quick answer
What does “glauber's salt” mean?
A colourless hydrated sodium sulphate (Na₂SO₄·10H₂O) used historically as a laxative.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A colourless hydrated sodium sulphate (Na₂SO₄·10H₂O) used historically as a laxative.
A crystalline mineral form of sodium sulphate decahydrate, named after its discoverer, Johann Rudolf Glauber. Its primary historical use was medicinal, but it also has applications in various industrial processes like glassmaking and dyeing.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage; the term is equally rare and technical in both varieties.
Connotations
Evokes historical or old-fashioned medicine. Not a term in contemporary everyday language.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both dialects, confined to historical texts or specific technical fields.
Grammar
How to Use “glauber's salt” in a Sentence
[Subject] contains Glauber's salt.[Agent] administered Glauber's salt to [Patient].Glauber's salt was used as a [Purpose].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “glauber's salt” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The apothecary would glauber his patients with a strong purgative. (Note: 'to glauber' is an extremely rare, non-standard verb derived from the noun.)
American English
- The physician decided to Glauberise the patient, using the salt as a purge. (Note: highly archaic/invented usage.)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Potentially in historical commerce of chemicals or pharmaceuticals.
Academic
Used in history of chemistry, history of medicine, or pharmaceutical science texts.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Used in precise chemical, geological (mineralogy), or historical descriptions.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “glauber's salt”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “glauber's salt”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “glauber's salt”
- Misspelling as 'Glauber salt' (omitting the apostrophe and 's').
- Confusing it with Epsom salt (magnesium sulphate).
- Using it as a general term for any medicinal salt.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, they are different chemical compounds. Glauber's salt is sodium sulphate, while Epsom salt is magnesium sulphate.
It was discovered and described by the German-Dutch alchemist and chemist Johann Rudolf Glauber in the 17th century.
It is not commonly found in pharmacies for medicinal use today, but it can be sourced from chemical suppliers for industrial or educational purposes.
It is an eponym, indicating the salt 'of Glauber' or 'associated with Glauber', following the common pattern for discoveries named after people (e.g., Boyle's law, Parkinson's disease).
A colourless hydrated sodium sulphate (Na₂SO₄·10H₂O) used historically as a laxative.
Glauber's salt is usually technical / historical / medical in register.
Glauber's salt: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɡlaʊbəz ˈsɒlt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɡlaʊbərz ˈsɔːlt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of Johann Glauber discovering a SALT that made people GLAUBer (sounds like 'go over' — hinting at its laxative effect).
Conceptual Metaphor
CLEANSING IS PURGING (historical medical metaphor).
Practice
Quiz
Glauber's salt is primarily known for its historical use as a: