bleach Meaning & Definition
What Does Bleach Mean?
As a noun, bleach means A chemical, such as sodium hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide, or a preparation of such a chemical, used for disinfecting or whitening. It can also mean A variety of bleach. As a verb, it means To treat with bleach, especially so as to whiten (fabric, paper, etc.) or lighten (hair). As an adjective, it means Pale; bleak.
Bleach: Key Facts
| Part of speech | noun, verb, adjective |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //blit͡ʃ// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Synonyms | decolorize, decolor and bleaching agent |
| Plural | bleaches |
| Comparative / superlative | bleacher, bleachest |
| Verb forms | bleaches, bleaching, bleached |
Bleach Definition (Noun)
- A chemical, such as sodium hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide, or a preparation of such a chemical, used for disinfecting or whitening.
- A variety of bleach.
Bleach as a Verb
- To treat with bleach, especially so as to whiten (fabric, paper, etc.) or lighten (hair).
- To be whitened or lightened (by the sun, for example).
- To lose color due to stress-induced expulsion of symbiotic unicellular algae.
Once coral bleaching begins, corals tend to continue to bleach even if the stressor is removed.
- To make meaningless; to divest of meaning; to make empty.
semantically bleached words that have become illocutionary particles
Noun
- An act of bleaching; exposure to the sun.
Bleach as an Adjective
- Pale; bleak.
Noun
- A disease of the skin characterized by hypopigmentation and itching, believed in the 17th century to be a form of leprosy.
Verb
- (of corals) to lose color due to stress-induced expulsion of symbiotic unicellular algae.
Once coral bleaching begins, corals tend to continue to bleach even if the stressor is removed.
Noun
- A disease of the skin.
Synonyms of Bleach
Bleach synonyms and antonyms →Antonyms of Bleach
No antonyms or near antonyms are listed by the available sources for this entry.
Bleach in a Sentence
Once coral bleaching begins, corals tend to continue to bleach even if the stressor is removed.
semantically bleached words that have become illocutionary particles
Word Forms & Grammar
bleach (countable and uncountable, plural bleaches)
bleach (third-person singular simple present bleaches, present participle bleaching, simple past and past participle bleached)
bleach (plural bleaches)
bleach (comparative bleacher or more bleach, superlative bleachest or most bleach)
Words That Rhyme With Bleach
Origin of Bleach
Origin 1: From Middle English blechen, from Old English blǣċan (“to bleach, whiten”), from Proto-West Germanic *blaikijan, from Proto-Germanic *blaikijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to shine”).
Origin 2: Cognate with Dutch bleken (“to bleach”), German bleichen (“to bleach”), Danish blege, Swedish bleka (“to bleach”). Related to Old English blāc (“pale”) (English blake; compare also bleak).
Origin 3: From Middle English bleche, from Old English blǣċu, blǣċo (“paleness, pallor”), from Proto-Germanic *blaikį̄ (“paleness”). See Etymology 1 above.
Origin 4: From Middle English bleche (also bleke), from Old English blǣċ, blǣc, variants of blāc (“bright, shining, glittering”), from Proto-West Germanic *blaik, from Proto-Germanic *blaikaz (“pale, shining”). More at bleak.
How Do You Say Bleach?
You say bleach as //blit͡ʃ//. It has 1 syllable.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bleach
Is bleach a noun or a verb?
Bleach is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb and an adjective.
What is another word for bleach?
You can replace bleach with words such as decolorize, decolor and bleaching agent. See the full list of bleach synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of bleach?
The plural of bleach is bleaches.
What is the past tense of bleach?
The past tense of bleach is bleached. The present participle is bleaching.
What are the comparative and superlative forms of bleach?
The comparative form is bleacher and the superlative form is bleachest.