Mordant

Mordant
A substance capable of deepening the reaction to a stain (as in the pathology laboratory); incisive; burning or pungent; and so, by extension, biting and caustic in thought, manner, or style. The word "mordant" has some bite to it since it comes from the Latin "mordere", the infinitive of the verb "to bite." In French "mordant" means biting.
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1. A substance capable of combining with a dye and the material to be dyed, thereby increasing the affinity or binding of the dye; e.g., a m. commonly used to promote staining with hematoxylin is alum. 2. To treat with a m.. [L. mordeo, to bite]

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mor·dant 'mȯrd-ənt n a chemical that fixes a dye in or on a substance by combining with the dye to form an insoluble compound
mordant vt

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n.
(in microscopy) a substance, such as alum or phenol, used to fix a stain in a tissue.

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mor·dant (morґdənt) [L. mordere to bite] 1. a substance capable of intensifying or deepening the reaction of a specimen to a stain; the chief mordants are alum, aniline, oil, and phenol. 2. to subject to the action of a mordant preliminary to staining.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • mordant — mordant, ante [ mɔrdɑ̃, ɑ̃t ] adj. et n. m. • XIIe; de mordre I ♦ Adj. Qui mord, attaque. 1 ♦ Vén. Bêtes mordantes, qui se défendent en mordant (blaireau, loup, loutre, ours …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • mordant — mordant, ante 1. (mor dan, dan t ) adj. 1°   Qui mord, qui entame. •   J entends crier la dent de la lime mordante, DELILLE Géorg. I.    Terme de chasse. Bête mordante, nom donné à certaines bêtes qui se défendent avec les dents ; telles que le… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • mordant — MORDÁNT, Ă, mordanţi, te, adj., s.m. 1. adj. (Rar; despre note muzicale) Care se execută printr un mic ornament melodic, un fel de tril neterminat. 2. s.m. Substanţă chimică care fixează coloranţii pe fibrele textile. [var.: mordént s.m.] – Din… …   Dicționar Român

  • mordant — [môr′dənt] adj. [ME mordent < OFr mordant, prp. of mordre, to bite < L mordere < IE * merd , var. of base * mer : see MORBID] 1. biting, cutting, caustic, or sarcastic, as speech, wit, etc. 2. causing corrosion 3. acting as a mordant n.… …   English World dictionary

  • Mordant — Mor dant, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Mordanted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Mordanting}.] To subject to the action of, or imbue with, a mordant; as, to mordant goods for dyeing. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • mordant — (adj.) late 15c., caustic (of words, speech), from M.Fr. mordant, lit. biting, prp. of mordre to bite, from L. mordere to bite, bite into; nip, sting; figuratively to pain, cause hurt (see MORDACIOUS (Cf. mordacious)). Related: Mordantly. The… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Mordant — Mor dant, a. [F., p. pr. of mordere to bite; L. mordere. See {Morsel}.] 1. Biting; caustic; sarcastic; keen; severe. [1913 Webster] 2. (Dyeing & Calico Printing) Serving to fix colors. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Mordant — Mor dant, n. [F., originally, biting.] 1. Any corroding substance used in etching. [1913 Webster] 2. (Dyeing & Calico Printing) Any substance, as alum or copperas, which, having a twofold attraction for organic fibers and coloring matter, serves… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Mordant — (fr., spr. Mordang), 1) der Grund zum Vergolden u. Versilbern; 2) (Mus.), so v.w. Mordent …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Mordant — Mordant, in der Zeugfärberei u. dem Zeugdruck so v.w. Beize; vgl. Färbekunst S. 109 u. Kattun C); daher Mordanciren, so v.w. Beizen 1) …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Mordant — (franz., spr. dāng), soviel wie Beize, Beizmittel, Ätzwasser etc. (s. Beizen und Färberei) …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

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