philosophers' stone

American  

Or philosopher's stone

noun

Alchemy.

1. a substance sought by alchemists that would be capable of transmuting baser metals into gold or silver and of prolonging life.

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philosopher's stone British  

noun

1. a stone or substance thought by alchemists to be capable of transmuting base metals into gold

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philosopher's stone Cultural  

1. The stone or material that practitioners of alchemy believed capable of changing other metals into gold.

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Figuratively, the “philosopher's stone” is a substance thought to be capable of regenerating man spiritually.

Etymology

Origin of philosophers' stone

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Example Sentences

Phosphorus was discovered in the late 17th century by a Hamburg alchemist, Hennig Brand, who inadvertently isolated it while seeking the storied “philosophers’ stone” that would transform ordinary metals into gold.

From New York Times

The element was associated with immortality thanks to alchemy, the biotech of the Middle Ages, which centered on the search for the Philosophers’ Stone.

From Washington Post

You can hear traces of Darkside in the other’s respective solo projects, but their fusion operates like a philosophers’ stone.

From Washington Post

The fact is that applying the scientific method to alchemy did, in the end, turn alchemy into chemistry and remove any rational basis for belief in things like the Philosophers’ Stone, supposed to turn base metal into gold.

From Literature

Each is embellished with vibrant figures and verses, which set out the process for making the philosophers’ stone and the elixir of life.

From Nature