Dictionaryal•umPronunciation: (al'um), [key] —n. Chem. 1. Also called potash alum, potassium alum. a crystalline solid, aluminum potassium sulfate, K2SO4·Al2(SO4)3·24H2O, used in medicine as an astringent and styptic, in dyeing and tanning, and in many technical processes. 2. one of a class of double sulfates analogous to the potassium alum, as aluminum ammonium sulfate, having the general formula R2SO4·X2(SO4)3·24H2O, where R is a univalent alkali metal or ammonium, and X one of a number of trivalent metals. 3. (not in technical use) aluminum sulfate. a•lumPronunciation: (u-lum'), [key] —n. Informal. an alumna or alumnus. alum.Chem. aluminum. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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