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lead carbonate

lead carbonate

8.9
A white poisonous powder that contains lead and was used to make paint
  • noun
  • /lɛd ˈkɑːrbəneɪt/
  • Archaic
translation icon : carbonato de plomo
  • The artist chose lead carbonate for its vibrant white color when mixing her paints.

Examples

  • Due to its toxic properties, lead carbonate is no longer safe for use in cosmetics.

  • Unfortunately, the water used can result in increased solubility of the lead carbonate and increased leaching (extraction and dissolution) of lead into the water via corrosion.

    Academic text (1993)
  • Lead pipes were used because they are very corrosion resistant due to the lead carbonate film that forms on pipe surfaces.

    Academic text (1993)
  • Using X-ray diffraction at an Iranian lab, he discovered lead carbonate—used as a white cosmetic—sealed in the bottom of the jar.

    Academic text (2011)
  • In the past, lead carbonate was commonly used in the production of white paint.

Synonyms

white lead
vslead carbonate
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A poisonous white pigment made from a heavy metal and used in older paints

is the chemical compound itself rather than the pigment product
ceruse
vslead carbonate
  • Archaic
9.9

A white lead pigment once used in cosmetics and painting that is poisonous

is the pure chemical form rather than the cosmetic pigment

Surface Forms

Morphology

lead + carbonate

The compound name is directly compositional: 'lead carbonate' denotes the carbonate salt containing lead (i.e. a carbonate of lead). This follows standard English noun-noun chemical naming patterns and is predictable for learners who know both constituents, so the meaning is transparent.

Etymology

Lead carbonate is named for its two parts: lead, the heavy metal it contains, and carbonate, the type of chemical that makes it a white powder. Artists long ago used this white powder as paint, but it is poisonous, so today the name means a 'poisonous white pigment'.