Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

cupel

American  
[kyoo-puhl, kyoo-pel] / ˈkju pəl, kjuˈpɛl /

noun

  1. a small, cuplike, porous container, usually made of bone ash, used in assaying, as for separating gold and silver from lead.

  2. a receptacle or furnace bottom in which silver is refined.


verb (used with object)

cupeled, cupeling, cupelled, cupelling
  1. to heat or refine in a cupel.

cupel British  
/ kjʊˈpɛl, ˈkjuːpəl /

noun

  1. a refractory pot in which gold or silver is refined

  2. a small porous bowl made of bone ash in which gold and silver are recovered from a lead button during assaying

"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

verb

  1. (tr) to refine (gold or silver) by means of cupellation

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of cupel

1595–1605; < Medieval Latin cūpella, equivalent to Latin cūp ( a ) tub + -ella diminutive suffix

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.

First put the lead into a cupel, and after it begins to smoke, add the copper; the fire generally consumes the copper, together with the lead, in about one hour and a quarter.

From De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556 by Agricola, Georgius

When the button has been taken out of the crucible and cooled, it is melted in a cupel, first until the antimony is exhaled, and thereafter until the lead is separated from it.

From De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556 by Agricola, Georgius

The gold which remains is re-heated with stibium, and when this is exhaled the gold is heated for the third time in a cupel with a fourth part of lead, and then quenched.

From De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556 by Agricola, Georgius

The button that settles is transferred to the cupel and re-melted.

From De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556 by Agricola, Georgius

Transfer to a small smooth cupel and place in the muffle.

From A Text-book of Assaying: For the Use of Those Connected with Mines. by Beringer, Cornelius

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "cupel" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com