alembic
[ uh-lem-bik ]
/ əˈlɛm bɪk /
noun
a vessel with a beaked cap or head, formerly used in distilling.
anything that transforms, purifies, or refines.
Nearby words
aleman lacayo, alemanni, alemannic, alembert, alembert, d', alembic, alembicated, alemán, alemán, mateo, alemán, miguel, alene
Origin of alembic
1350–1400; Middle English, variant of alambic < Medieval Latin alambicus < dialectal Arabic al the anbīq still < Greek ámbix cup
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Examples from the Web for alembic
British Dictionary definitions for alembic
alembic
/ (əˈlɛmbɪk) /
noun
an obsolete type of retort used for distillation
anything that distils or purifies
Word Origin for alembic
C14: from Medieval Latin alembicum, from Arabic al-anbīq the still, from Greek ambix cup
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Word Origin and History for alembic
alembic
late 14c., from Middle French alambic (13c.), via Old Spanish, from Arabic al-anbiq "distilling flask," from Greek ambix "cup," of unknown, possibly Semitic, origin. Often spelled limbeck 15c.-17c.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper