alchemy

American  

[al-kuh-mee] / ˈæl kə mi /

noun

plural

alchemies

1. a form of chemistry and speculative philosophy practiced in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance and concerned principally with discovering methods for transmuting baser metals into gold and with finding a universal solvent and an elixir of life.

2. any magical power or process of transmuting a common substance, usually of little value, into a substance of great value.

3. any seemingly magical process of transforming or combining elements into something new.

   Through some kind of alchemy he has reinvented himself as a writer.

---

alchemy British  

/ ˈælkəmɪ, ælˈkɛmɪk /

noun

1. the pseudoscientific predecessor of chemistry that sought a method of transmuting base metals into gold, an elixir to prolong life indefinitely, a panacea or universal remedy, and an alkahest or universal solvent

2. a power like that of alchemy

   her beauty had a potent alchemy

---

alchemy Scientific  

/ ăl′kə-mē /

1. A medieval philosophy and early form of chemistry whose aims were the transmutation of base metals into gold, the discovery of a cure for all diseases, and the preparation of a potion that gives eternal youth. The imagined substance capable of turning other metals into gold was called the philosophers' stone.

---

alchemy Cultural  

1. A science (no longer practiced) that sought to transform one chemical element into another through a combination of magic and primitive chemistry. Alchemy is considered to be the ancestor of modern chemistry.

---

Closer Look

Because their goals were so unrealistic, and because they had so little success in achieving them, the practitioners of alchemy in the Middle Ages got a reputation as fakers and con artists. But this reputation is not fully deserved. While they never succeeded in turning lead into gold (one of their main goals), they did make discoveries that helped to shape modern chemistry. Alchemists invented early forms of some of the laboratory equipment used today, including beakers, crucibles, filters, and stirring rods. They also discovered and purified a number of chemical elements, including mercury, sulfur, and arsenic. And the methods they developed to separate mixtures and purify compounds by distillation and extraction are still important.

Discover More

The search for the philosopher's stone that would change lead and other base metals into gold was part of alchemy.

Today, alchemy is associated with wizards, magic, and the search for arcane knowledge.

Other Word Forms

• alchemic adjective
• alchemical adjective
• alchemically adverb
• alchemistic adjective
• alchemistical adjective

Etymology

Origin of alchemy

First recorded in 1375–1425; earlier alchimie, from Old French alquemie, from Medieval Latin alchymia, from Arabic al “the” + kīmiyā', from Greek chēmeía, chēmía, chymeía “art of alloying metals; alchemy”; replacing Middle English alconomye, equivalent to alk(imie) + (astr)onomye “astronomy” ( astronomy )

Example Sentences

The Core Club promised to bring together luminaries in business, arts, technology and culture in hopes of sparking some greater collective alchemy.

From The Wall Street Journal

The complexity of the situation lies here: The invisible yet palpable alchemy of two souls dancing with each other through life in harmony is just that — a dance.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s interesting to see even in the nominations this sort of alchemy of like, “a little of this, a little bit of that” as far as who the the Academy was choosing to recognize.

From Los Angeles Times

“There’s something that happens with real materiality, real construction, there’s an alchemy to it,” Hawley says.

From Los Angeles Times

Being surrounded by people you enjoy, eating something sweet, feels like its own small alchemy.

From Salon