from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Soda \So"da\, n. [It., soda, in OIt., ashes used in making
glass, fr. L. solida, fem. of solidus solid; solida having
probably been a name of glasswort. See {Solid}.]
1. (Chem.)
(a) Sodium oxide or hydroxide.
(b) Popularly, sodium carbonate or bicarbonate. Sodium
bicarbonate is also called {baking soda}
[1913 Webster]
2. same as {sodium}, used in terms such as {bicarbonate of
soda}.
[PJC]
3. same as {soda water}.
[PJC]
4. a non-alcoholic beverage, sweetened by various means,
containing flavoring and supersaturated with carbon
dioxide, so as to be effervescent when the container is
opened; -- in different localities it is variously called
also {soda pop}, {pop}, {mineral water}, and {minerals}.
It has many variants. The sweetening agent may be natural,
such as cane sugar or corn syrup, or artificial, such as
saccharin or aspartame. The flavoring varies widely,
popular variants being fruit or cola flavoring.
[PJC]
{Caustic soda}, sodium hydroxide.
{Cooking soda}, sodium bicarbonate. [Colloq.]
{Sal soda}. See {Sodium carbonate}, under {Sodium}.
{Soda alum} (Min.), a mineral consisting of the hydrous
sulphate of alumina and soda.
{Soda ash}, crude sodium carbonate; -- so called because
formerly obtained from the ashes of sea plants and certain
other plants, as saltwort ({Salsola}). See under {Sodium}.
{Soda fountain}, an apparatus for drawing soda water, fitted
with delivery tube, faucets, etc.
{Soda lye}, a lye consisting essentially of a solution of
sodium hydroxide, used in soap making.
{Soda niter}. See {Nitratine}.
{Soda salts}, salts having sodium for the base; specifically,
sodium sulphate or Glauber's salts.
{Soda waste}, the waste material, consisting chiefly of
calcium hydroxide and sulphide, which accumulates as a
useless residue or side product in the ordinary Leblanc
process of soda manufacture; -- called also {alkali
waste}.
{Washing soda}, sodium carbonate. [Colloq.]
[1913 Webster]