argenteum
1
9.9
- noun
- /ɑrˈdʒɛntiˌəm/
- Archaic
:
argenteo
- The ancient texts often mention argenteum in relation to its use in alchemical practices.
Examples
-
His mother claims that when he was very tiny, he was found grubbing in a wall, and that when she asked what he was doing, he cried that he had found Bryant argenteum (not true, he notes now), a pretty moss he'd admired in his father's collection.
Fiction book (1999) -
In old manuscripts, argenteum is frequently described as having mystical properties.
-
The chemist studied argenteum to understand its historical significance in ancient cultures.
Compounds
- South African
A small South African tree with long silvery leaves called the silver tree
- Specialized
A spiny bush with silvery young leaves and pink-purple scented flowers that grows on salty plains
Surface Forms
Etymology
Argenteum comes from the Latin word argentum, which means 'silver'; the same root gives the chemical symbol Ag and even the name Argentina ('land of silver'). So, in old texts and in science argenteum simply names the metal silver.