alkahest

or al·ca·hest

[ al-kuh-hest ]

noun
  1. the universal solvent sought by the alchemists.

Origin of alkahest

1
First recorded in 1635–45, alkahest is from the late Medieval Latin word alchahest; probably coinage of Paracelsus

Other words from alkahest

  • al·ka·hes·tic, al·ka·hes·ti·cal, adjective

Words Nearby alkahest

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use alkahest in a sentence

  • alkahest, Alcahest, al′ka-hest, n. the universal solvent of the alchemists.

  • She must bring down the spirit of the sun and blend it with her own—for wheat partakes of the alkahest.

    Child and Country | Will Levington Comfort
  • The idea of the alkahest had swept like a conflagration through the building.

    The Alkahest | Honore de Balzac
  • It was the only moment for sixteen long years when Balthazar forgot the alkahest.

    The Alkahest | Honore de Balzac
  • These preparations now prevented Claes from thinking, for the time being, of the alkahest.

    The Alkahest | Honore de Balzac

British Dictionary definitions for alkahest

alkahest

alcahest

/ (ˈælkəˌhɛst) /


noun
  1. the hypothetical universal solvent sought by alchemists

Origin of alkahest

1
C17: apparently coined by Paracelsus on the model of Arabic words

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