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DictionaryRoot: lit-mose
Middle English

lit-mose

lichen dye

1 / 1
A simple laboratory still life showing litmus dye as a purple liquid in a small open bottle, beside two clear test tubes in a minimal rack: one contains a red acidic test solution and the other a blue alkaline test solution.
noun

litmus

LIT-mus/ˈlɪtməs/

A dye whose color reveals acidity or alkalinity.

Etymology
litmusMiddle Englishlichen dye

Middle English lit-mose named a dye obtained from lichens, probably with a name connecting dyeing and moss. Its blue color turns red in acid and returns to blue with alkalis, making it useful for chemical testing.

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