Standard Lemma guide

saponify

verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To convert (a fat or oil) into soap.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To be converted into soap.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To hydrolyze (an ester) using an alkali.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

convert into soap by hydrolizing an ester into an acid and alcohol as a result of treating it with an alkali

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • saponify oils and fats

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change, alter, modify

5

verb

Meaning 5

become converted into soap by being hydrolized into an acid and alcohol as a result of being treated with an alkali

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the oil saponified

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change

History

Etymology

From French saponifier, from Late Latin sāpō, sāpōnem (“soap”).

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: осапунвам (osapunvam) — to convert into soap
  • Galician: saponificar — to convert into soap
  • Ido: saponifar — to convert into soap
  • Italian: saponificare — to convert into soap
  • Portuguese: saponificar — to convert into soap
  • Spanish: saponificar — to convert into soap
  • Welsh: seboneiddio — to convert into soap