philosopher's wool
- noun
- /ˈfɪləsəfərz wʊl/
- Archaic
:
lana de filósofo
- The chemist demonstrated the production of philosopher's wool through the oxidation of zinc.
Examples
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Artists valued philosopher's wool for its brilliance as a white pigment in paint.
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In the nineteenth century, philosopher's wool was commonly used in medicinal ointments.
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The artist used philosopher's wool to create vibrant colors.
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Many cosmetics contain philosopher's wool as an ingredient.
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Artists valued philosopher's wool for its brilliance as a white pigment in paint.
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In the nineteenth century, philosopher's wool was commonly used in medicinal ointments.
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Many cosmetics contain philosopher's wool as an ingredient.
Synonyms
2
4.0
A white powder used in paint and skin creams to protect skin
A white powder used to make white paint, cosmetics, and ointments
A fine white powder used to colour paint and in ointments
A white paint color made from zinc used in paintings
A strong white paint used to make colours lighter in paintings and drawings
Surface Forms
Morphology
philosopher's + wool
The meaning 'zinc oxide' is not derivable from the literal constituents 'philosopher's' (a person who studies philosophy) and 'wool' (animal fiber); a B1 learner who knows those words would expect a textile or metaphorical wool, not a chemical substance. The term is an archaic/technical name (historically alchemical) rather than a compositional phrase, so the connection between parts and meaning is lexicalized and unpredictable for learners.
Etymology
Philosopher's wool comes from early alchemists. When they heated zinc it made a soft, white, wool-like deposit, so they called the fluffy powder wool and used philosopher's to show it came from their craft, which is why the name now means the white powder 'zinc oxide' used in paint and ointments.