What is the meaning of mordant?

noun

  • A substance used to treat leather or other materials before dyeing; aids in dyeing process.

adjective

  • Harshly ironic or sinister.
    • usage: "black humor"; "a grim joke"; "grim laughter"; "fun ranging from slapstick clowning. .. To savage mordant wit"
  • Of a substance, especially a strong acid; capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action.
WordNet 3.0 © 2006 by Princeton University
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APAWordNet. (2010). mordant. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/mordant/definitions/1178689
ChicagoWordNet. 2010. "mordant" http://smartdefine.org/mordant/definitions/1178689 (accessed September 20, 2026).
HarvardWordNet 2010, mordant, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/mordant/definitions/1178689>.
MLAWordNet. "mordant" 23 October 2010. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/mordant/definitions/1178689>
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