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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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 )

Explanation

If your favorite but perpetually losing team picks up a couple of new players and the result is suddenly an unbeatable combo, that's alchemy — any seemingly magical act involving the combining of elements into something new. In medieval times, alchemy meant the mysterious science of trying to convert one form of matter into another using fire, potions, spells, and all kinds of other tricks. Alchemists often got a bad rap for their obsession with trying to turn base metals into gold, but in fact true alchemy was concerned with a far loftier ideal — that of finding a "universal elixir" that could overcome death.

Example Sentences

It takes an elusive alchemy of skill, knowledge and resources—with a dash of good luck—to introduce a groundbreaking, or even life-changing, invention to the world.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

“What catches on is completely unpredictable, there’s almost a mysterious alchemy to it. What’s clear is this: The regime hasn’t pacified them.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 28, 2026

A sprinkle of sporting rivalry gives you the heady alchemy of why Heated Rivalry resonates with long-time BL fans.

From BBC • Feb. 26, 2026

“Lately I’ve been learning about alchemy, “ said Chloé Zhao, representing “Hamnet,” her domestic drama about the grief-stricken family life of William Shakespeare.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 8, 2026

I'm convinced it was the product of a subtle magic, the alchemy of moonlight; the school a flower-studded wasteland, the rocks sunken, the dry winds hidden, the lost crickets chirping to yellow butterflies.

From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison