noun
pH
noun
1
A scale from 0 to 14 measuring how acidic or alkaline a solution is, with 7 being neutral.
"The gardener tested the soil's pH before planting the blueberries."
"Pure water has a pH of about 7."
How to Use PH
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA number showing how acidic or basic something is — low pH is acidic, high pH is alkaline, 7 is neutral.
Common pairings
pH level
pH balance
test the pH
Word Forms
pHs plural
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The gardener tested the soil's _____ before planting the blueberries.
Etymology
Introduced in 1909 by chemist S. P. L. Sørensen; the "H" stands for hydrogen, and the "p" likely abbreviates a word for "power" or "potential" in Sørensen's notation.