"In chemistry, an alkali (/\u02C8\u00E6lk\u0259la\u026A/; from Arabic: al-qaly \u0627\u0644\u0642\u0644\u064A, \u0627\u0644\u0642\u0627\u0644\u064A , \u201Cashes of the saltwort\u201D) is a basic, ionic salt of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal chemical element. An alkali also can be defined as a base that dissolves in water. A solution of a soluble base has a pH greater than 7.0. The adjective alkaline is commonly, and alkalescent less often, used in English as a synonym for basic, especially for soluble bases."@en .