Wednesday, 22 October 2014

Azoth

Word of the Day for Wednesday 22nd October 2014


Azoth \AZ-oth\
Noun
1. The universal remedy of Paracelsus.
2. Mercury, regarded by alchemists as the assumed first principle of all metals.
Quotes
As he had suspected, it was an azoth. He whistled on a small footlight he had noticed earlier, holding the azoth low enough to keep the driver from seeing it, should he look over his shoulder.
-- Gene Wolfe, Litany of the Long Sun, 2000
Origin
Azoth is derived from the Arabic word az zā'ūq which meant quicksilver or mercury.

Thanks to: www.dictionary.com

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