Basic

Part of speech: adjective (a.)

1. Relating to a base; performing the office of a base in a salt.

2. Having the base in excess, or the amount of the base atomically greater than that of the acid, or exceeding in proportion that of the related neutral salt.

3. Apparently alkaline, as certain normal salts which exhibit alkaline reactions with test paper.

4. Said of crystalline rocks which contain a relatively low percentage of silica, as basalt. Basic salt (Chem.), a salt formed from a base or hydroxide by the partial replacement of its hydrogen by a negative or acid element or radical.