alembic
Americannoun
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a vessel with a beaked cap or head, formerly used in distilling.
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anything that transforms, purifies, or refines.
noun
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an obsolete type of retort used for distillation
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anything that distils or purifies
Etymology
Origin of alembic
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, variant of alambic, from Medieval Latin alambicus, from dialectal Arabic al anbīq “the still,” from Greek ámbix (stem ámbīk- ) “cup, vessel with a spout”
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.
At the macro level, a reduction in Iranian crude oil exports pushes up chemical feedstock costs, creating a price umbrella for natural-gas-based producers, notes Alembic analyst Hassan Ahmed.
From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026
Accenture had begun using Alembic to help clients restructure their businesses around AI tools before it co-led this funding round, according to a statement from Julie Sweet, the firm’s chair and CEO.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 13, 2025
“It’s such a bizarre scenario,” said Hassan Ahmed, a chemicals analyst with Alembic Global Advisors, a research firm.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 29, 2021
“It’s labor intensive, but there’s a reason the French require Alembic stills for making cognac.”
From New York Times • Aug. 18, 2015
"Limbeck" is used by Shakspeare for "Alembic;" and in the passage in Macbeth,— "That memory, the warder of the brain, Shall be a fume, and the receipt of reason A limbeck only."
From Notes and Queries, Number 59, December 14, 1850 by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
