alkahest
Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word alkahest. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word alkahest, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say alkahest in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word alkahest you have here. The definition of the word alkahest will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofalkahest, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
Borrowed from Late Latin alcahest, apparently coined by Paracelsus, as Pseudo-Arabism.
Pronunciation
Noun
alkahest (countable and uncountable, plural alkahests)
- (now historical) A universal solvent sought by the alchemists.
- 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.