alkahest

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin alcahest, apparently coined by Paracelsus, as Pseudo-Arabism.

Pronunciation
  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈal.kə.hɛst/

Noun

alkahest (countable and uncountable, plural alkahests)

  1. (now historical) A universal solvent sought by the alchemists. [from 17th c.]
    Synonym: universal solvent
    • 2006, Philip Ball, The Devil's Doctor, Arrow, published 2007, page 267:
      This perspective stimulated the alchemical quest for a ‘universal solvent’, that would dissolve and homogenize all substances – a solvent that Paracelsus named the alkahest.

Derived terms
This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.