saturnism

[ sat-er-niz-uhm ]

noun

, Pathology.

1. lead poisoning ( def 1b ).

saturnism

/ ˈsætəˌnɪzəm /

noun

1. pathol another name for lead poisoning

Word History and Origins

Origin of saturnism¹

1850–55; < Medieval Latin Sāturn ( us ) lead + -ism; in alchemy the planet was thought to have leadlike properties

Word History and Origins

Origin of saturnism¹

C19: from New Latin sāturnismus; properties similar to those of lead were attributed to the planet