Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

litmus

/ˈlɪtməs/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.77 in modern English

Syllables
lit-mus
IPA
/ˈlɪtməs/
8
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A dyestuff extracted from certain lichens, that changes color when exposed to pH levels greater than or less than certain critical levels.

Uncountable

noun

A simple test of acidity in a liquid using litmus, usually in the form of litmus paper.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A simple test of any attribute; a litmus test.

Countable; Uncountable

Etymology

From Middle English litmose, lytmose, litemose, from Old Norse litmosi (“moss used for dyeing”), from lita (“to dye, stain”) + mosi (“moss”), the former from litr (“colour, dye, blee”), from Proto-Germanic *wlitiz, *wlituz (“appearance, blee”), from Proto-Indo-European *wel- (“to see”). Cognate with Old English wlite (“appearance, form, brightness, countenance”). More at moss.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: litmose, litmosi, *wlitiz, *wel-

Usage

Inflected Forms

litmuses (plural)

Derived Forms

azolitmin

Phrases

litmus milk litmus paper litmus test Roccella tinctoria Roccella fuciformis Roccella pygmaea Roccella phycopsis Lecanora tartarea

Frequently Paired Words

acidic alkaline pH Roccella tinctoria Roccella fuciformis Roccella pygmaea Roccella phycopsis Lecanora tartarea

Synonyms

lacmus indicator litmus test

Rhymes With

shitmas

Questions

How do you pronounce litmus?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈlɪtməs/.
What does litmus mean?
A dyestuff extracted from certain lichens, that changes color when exposed to pH levels greater than or less than certain critical levels.
Where does litmus come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce litmus

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “litmus”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈlɪtməs/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “litmus”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “litmus” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.