Borax (noun)

A white powdery substance, hydrated sodium borate, that is used as a mild alkali in detergents and as a flux in metallurgy and ceramics.

Origin:

Mid 19th century: from boracic acid + -ax (suffix denoting a salt).

Examples:

1. Borax is a natural mineral that has been used for centuries as a cleaning agent.
2. Borax is an ingredient in many laundry detergents and cleaning products.
3. Borax is also used as a flux in metallurgy and ceramics, helping to lower the melting point of the metal and making it easier to work with.
4. Borax is also used as a preservative and fungicide in agriculture.
5. Borax is also used as an ingredient in some homemade slime recipes.