lye
Lye (noun) means a strongly alkaline substance, traditionally made by soaking wood ash in water, used for cleaning or making soap. Example: “Pioneers made their own soap by boiling fat with lye.”
How to use lye
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA caustic alkaline chemical (like sodium hydroxide) used in cleaning products and soap-making.
Handle with care in real life — lye is corrosive and can cause chemical burns; this is a purely factual note, not medical advice.
Word forms
lyed past tense, lyes plural, lyes singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Pioneers made their own soap by boiling fat with _____.
Etymology
From Old English leah/leag, ultimately from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to wash".
Rhymes for lye
See all rhymes for lye →Frequently asked questions
What does “lye” mean?
The word “lye” means a strongly alkaline substance, traditionally made by soaking wood ash in water, used for cleaning or making soap. In plain terms, a caustic alkaline chemical (like sodium hydroxide) used in cleaning products and soap-making.
How do you pronounce “lye”?
“Lye” is pronounced leye (/laɪ/ in IPA).
How do you use “lye” in a sentence?
Here is “lye” used in a sentence: “Pioneers made their own soap by boiling fat with lye.”
What part of speech is “lye”?
“Lye” is a noun.
Where does the word “lye” come from?
The word “lye” comes from Old English. From Old English leah/leag, ultimately from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to wash".