orichalc
9.9
A metal from old stories that people say is more valuable than gold and has special powers
- noun
- /ˈɔrɪˌkɔlk/
- Archaic
:
oricalco
- The ancient artifact was said to be made of orichalc, a metal mentioned in many myths as being more precious than gold.
Examples
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Legends speak of a lost city built entirely from orichalc, glittering under the sun and sought after by many adventurers.
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In the fantasy novel, the hero's sword was forged from orichalc, giving it magical properties.
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Below the scales, held open by four rat skulls encased in orichalc, was a paper with a poem written on it.
Fiction book (1993)
Synonyms
9.9
A very valuable metal in old stories said to be second to gold
is a broader legendary metal with fictional special properties beyond value
How Valuable
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word orichalc comes from old Greek parts oros 'mountain' and chalkos 'copper', so it originally meant 'mountain copper'. That's why orichalc is used for a legendary, valuable metal in stories, like a special kind of copper or brass with magical power.