realgar

American

[ree-al-ger, -gahr] / riˈæl gər, -gɑr /

noun

arsenic disulfide, As 2 S 2 , found in nature as an orange-red mineral and also produced artificially: used in pyrotechnics.

realgar British

/ rɪˈælɡə /

noun

a rare orange-red soft mineral consisting of arsenic sulphide in monoclinic crystalline form. It occurs in Utah and Romania and as a deposit from hot springs. It is an important ore of arsenic and is also used as a pigment. Formula: AsS

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of realgar

1350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin realger ≪ Arabic rahj al-ghār powder of the mine or cave

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Note: Realgar: The Chinese believe that realgar is a mithridate and tonic.

From The Chinese Fairy Book by Wilhelm, Richard

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023