(of a chemical substance 化學物質 able to destroy or dissolve (= remove or destroy by a chemical process) other substances 腐蝕性的；苛性的 a caustic cleaning product 腐蝕性清潔産品 caustic liquid that blisters the skin 使皮膚起泡的腐蝕性液體 a highly caustic chemical 一種腐蝕性極強的化學品
critical in a bitter or sarcastic way 尖酸刻薄的；挖苦的；譏諷的 caustic comments/wit 刻薄話；長於諷刺 Her speech was a caustic attack on government officials. 她的講話是對政府官員的刻薄攻擊。
Extra ExamplesLisa ignored the caustic comment. 麗莎忽略了這個刻薄的評論。 She was frantically trying to think up some caustic reply. 她瘋狂地試圖想出一些刻薄的回答。
Word Originlate Middle English: via Latin from Greek kaustikos, from kaustos ‘combustible’, from kaiein ‘to burn’.