litmus

Etymology

From Middle English litmose, lytmose, litemose, from Old Norse litmosi (“moss used for dyeing”), from lita (“to dye, stain”) +‎ mosi (“moss”), the former from litr (“colour, dye, blee”), from Proto-Germanic *wlitiz, *wlituz (“appearance, blee”), from Proto-Indo-European *wel- (“to see”). Cognate with Old English wlite (“appearance, form, brightness, countenance”). More at moss.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlɪtməs/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪtməs

Noun

litmus (countable and uncountable, plural litmuses)

1. (uncountable) A dyestuff extracted from certain lichens, that changes color when exposed to pH levels greater than or less than certain critical levels.
2. A simple test of acidity in a liquid using litmus, usually in the form of litmus paper.
3. A simple test of any attribute; a litmus test.

See also

• Roccella tinctoria
• Roccella fuciformis
• Roccella pygmaea
• Roccella phycopsis
• Lecanora tartarea
• Variolaria dealbata
• Ochrolechia parella
• Ochrolechia tartarea
• Parmotrema tinctorum
• Parmelia
• Roccella montagnei
• Dendrographa leucophoea

Anagrams

• multis, slum it, sultim, tilmus