alchemy
The premodern and early modern study of physical changes, particularly in Europe,…The premodern and early modern study of physical changes, particularly in Europe, Arabia, and China; and chiefly in pursuit of an elixir of immortality, a universal panacea, and/or a philosopher's stone able to transmute base metals into gold, eventually developing into chemistry.
» Chemistry is alchemy that works.
Хімія — це алхімія, яка працює.
Хімія — це алхімія, що працює.
Meaning
3 senses(uncountable)The premodern and early modern study of physical changes, particularly in Europe, Arabia, and China; and chiefly in pursuit of an elixir of immortality, a universal panacea, and/or a philosopher's stone able to transmute base metals into gold, eventually developing into chemistry.
The purpose of physical alchemy—as opposed to its various spiritual pursuits—was to treat the supposed leprosity of base metals such as lead, refining and purifying them into gold.
Alchemie
алхи́мияalxímija
алхі́міяalxímija
(countable)The causing of any sort of mysterious sudden transmutation.
(countable, slang)Any elaborate transformation process or algorithm.
- a pseudoscientific forerunner of chemistry in medieval times
- the way two individuals relate to each other
Examples
15 sentencesChemistry is alchemy that works.
Хімія — це алхімія, яка працює.
Chemistry is an offshoot of alchemy.
Psychoanalysis is to psychology as alchemy is to chemistry.
deDie Psychoanalyse verhält sich zur Psychologie so wie die Alchimie zur Chemie.
Love is a perfect alchemy of mind, body, and soul.
deLiebe ist vollkommene Alchimie von Körper, Geist und Seele.
Alchemy was the antecedent of chemistry.
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
From Old French alkimie, arquemie (French alchimie), from Medieval Latin alchēmia, from ArFrom Old French alkimie, arquemie (French alchimie), from Medieval Latin alchēmia, from Arabic اَلْكِيمِيَاء (al-kīmiyāʔ), from Ancient Greek χυμείᾱ (khumeíā, “art of alloying metals”), from χύμα (khúma, “ingot, bar”). Compare Spanish alquimia and Italian alchimia.
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Forms
plural: alchemiesSynonyms
2 synonyms- the way two individuals relate to each other:chemistryinterpersonal chemistry
Word family
9 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable