alkahest

or al·ca·hest

[ al-kuh-hest ]

noun

the universal solvent sought by the alchemists.

Origin of alkahest

First recorded in 1635–45, alkahest is from the late Medieval Latin word alchahest; probably coinage of Paracelsus

Other words from alkahest

al·ka·hes·tic, al·ka·hes·ti·cal, adjective

Words Nearby alkahest

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use alkahest in a sentence

alkahest, Alcahest, al′ka-hest, n. the universal solvent of the alchemists.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) | Various
She must bring down the spirit of the sun and blend it with her own—for wheat partakes of the alkahest.
Child and Country | Will Levington Comfort
The idea of the alkahest had swept like a conflagration through the building.
The Alkahest | Honore de Balzac
It was the only moment for sixteen long years when Balthazar forgot the alkahest.
The Alkahest | Honore de Balzac
These preparations now prevented Claes from thinking, for the time being, of the alkahest.
The Alkahest | Honore de Balzac

British Dictionary definitions for alkahest

alkahest

alcahest

/ (ˈælkəˌhɛst) /

noun

the hypothetical universal solvent sought by alchemists

Origin of alkahest

C17: apparently coined by Paracelsus on the model of Arabic words

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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