From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcausticcaus‧tic /ˈkɔːstɪk $ ˈkɒːs-/ adjective 1 HCBURNa caustic substance can burn through things by chemical action caustic soda (=a chemical used for cleaning things)2 UNKINDa caustic remark criticizes someone in a way that is unkind but often cleverly humorous SYN acerbiccaustic wit/comments/remark etc Eliot appreciated Pound’s caustic wit. —caustically /-kli/ adverb ‘I can hardly wait, ’ Sir Trevor replied caustically.
Examples from the Corpus
caustic• Heavy fatty deposits can be broken up by the use of caustic cleaners sometimes specially formulated and described as drain cleaners.• Hayward made some pretty caustic comments about your poetry.• Rather than return home to be arrested, Kim kept up his caustic criticism from abroad.• But the caustic critics were not the majority.• The open and caustic disagreements between Deming and Juran are but one case in point.• Eliot wrote a caustic letter back.• Likewise, efficient marketing of both chlorine and caustic soda is essential as demand for the two chemicals is rarely in balance.• It was rather like having a heated dagger thrust into the eyeball and twisted, then caustic soda rubbed in the wound.• Some of his students were alienated by his caustic wit.caustic wit/comments/remark etc• Sir Brian is loud-mouthing Sir Bernard, who is assaulting the other five with caustic wit.Origin caustic (1300-1400) Latin causticus, from Greek, from kaiein “to burn” 