1. A solution obtained by leaching or filtering water through wood ashes, historically used in soap-making and bleaching.
Usage: archaic; chemistry/historical

Examples

• Colonial soap makers relied on lixivia extracted from hardwood ashes.
• The lixivia was filtered multiple times to increase its alkaline strength.
• Textile workers used lixivia as a bleaching agent before modern chemicals became available.
• The recipe called for lixivia to be mixed with animal fat to produce soap.
• Historical records describe the careful preparation of lixivia in large wooden vats.