acidulate

English

Etymology

Compare French aciduler. See acidulous.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /əˈsɪd͡ʒʊ.leɪt/

Verb

acidulate (third-person singular simple present acidulates, present participle acidulating, simple past and past participle acidulated)

1. (transitive) To make slightly or moderately acid; to acidify.
2. (transitive) To make sour in a moderate degree; to sour somewhat.
   • 1827 May 1, “XXVI. Spreading Ulcer of the Nose.”, in James Copland, John Darwall, John Conolly, editors, The London Medical Repository and Review, volume XXVII, number 161 (New Series, volume IV, number XXIII), London: Printed for Thomas and John Underwood, 32 Fleet Street, →OCLC, page 465:

     Twenty leeches were ordered to be applied round the nose every two days; frequent emollient fomentations; the local vapour bath; general bathing; stimulating pedilavia; a strict regimen; vegetables, milk, white meats; demulcent or acidulated drinks; avoidance of exposure to the sun or to cold air; flannel waistcoat and trousers. This treatment, being strictly observed for two months, caused all the inflammatory symptoms to disappear, […]

   • 1963, C.L.R. James, The Black Jacobins, 2nd Revised edition, Vintage Books, published 2023, →ISBN, page 46:

     The kernel of San Domingo cocoa was more acidulated than that of Venezuela and was not inferior in other respects, experience proving that the chocolate made of the two cocoas in combination had a more delicate flavour than that made from the cocoa of Venezuela alone.

3. (transitive) To use an acidic catalyst, with the chemical change being emphasised over the importance of the change in pH. Used in the processing of biodiesel co-products.

Derived terms

• superacidulated
• unacidulated

 

Translations

to make something slightly, or moderately acid

• Catalan: acidular (ca)
• Portuguese: acidular (pt)

to make sour in a moderate degree

to use an acidic catalyst

• Portuguese: acidular (pt)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• French: ^{(please verify)} aciduler (fr)
• Italian: ^{(please verify)} acidulare (it)

Italian

Etymology 1

Verb

acidulate

1. inflection of acidulare:
   1. second-person plural present indicative
   2. second-person plural imperative

Etymology 2

Participle

acidulate f pl

1. feminine plural of acidulato

Anagrams

• elucidata

Spanish

Verb

acidulate

1. second-person singular voseo imperative of acidular combined with te