Chem. [f. BASIC a. + -ITY.] The power of combining with bases possessed by an acid, dependent on the number of atoms of hydrogen replaceable by a metal which are contained in it; thus nitric acid (HNO3) is monobasic, phosphoric acid (H2PO4) is tribasic.
1849. Liebig & Kopp’s Rep. Progr. Chem., I. 469. The capacity of saturation or the basicity B of a compound.
1883. Muir, Heroes of Sc., V. 23. Graham … added to science the conception of acids of different basicity.
