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• philosophers' stone
  philosophers' stone

  noun

  a substance sought by alchemists that would be capable of transmuting baser metals into gold or silver and of prolonging life.
• philosopher's stone
  philosopher's stone

  noun

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

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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Discover More

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

See Examples For:

philosophers' stone philosopher's stone

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

From Washington Post ● Jul. 22, 2021

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 ● Apr. 28, 2020

The job-hopping Nicolas in The House of the Spirits doubles for One Hundred Years' mad inventor, Jose Arcadio Buendia, who strives to manufacture the philosophers' stone and photograph God.

From Time Magazine Archive

The operation, conducted by CIA alchemists from 1954 until 1963, was part of a quarter-century hunt for a psychogenic philosophers' stone.

From Time Magazine Archive

It was a little late to search for the philosophers’ stone in 1669, yet it was in such a search that phosphorus was discovered.

From History of Phosphorus by Eduard Farber

Brandt believed that, if he could collect enough of this substance, he might be able to create the philosopher’s stone.

From The New Yorker ● Dec. 27, 2019

But for the denizens of Silicon Beach, aircraft represent the ultimate hack — a philosopher’s stone that makes rest out of work.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2019

Stones played a key role in alchemy: the philosopher’s stone, the Chintamani.

From Slate ● May 29, 2018

Valentine believed he was on the trail of the philosopher’s stone.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 30, 2018

For the alchemists, the reality of the philosopher’s stone was beyond question; within a generation their appeal to authority, to ancient texts and secret manuscripts, seemed hopelessly misplaced.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton