elixir

A liquid which converts lead to gold.

Noun

  1. A liquid which converts lead to gold.
    • For Chinese alchemists, gold held the key to the Elixir, the Eastern equivalent of the Philosopher's Stone. - 2002, Philip Ball, The Elements: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford, published 2004, page 59:
  2. A substance or liquid which is believed to cure all ills and give eternal life.
  3. The alleged cure for all ailments; cure-all, panacea.
    • The silver-bullet cancer cures of yesterday’s newsmagazine covers, like interferon and angiogenesis inhibitors, disappointed the breathless expectations, as have elixirs such as antioxidants, Vioxx, and hormone...
  4. A sweet flavored liquid (usually containing a small amount of alcohol) used in compounding medicines to be taken by mouth in order to mask an unpleasant taste.
    • The subcommittee's report to the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry shows that the action of somnos is practically identical with that of a 5 per cent elixir of hydrated chloral. - 1906, JAMA: The Journal of the American...

Origin

From Medieval Latin elixir (“philosopher's stone”), from Arabic اَلْإِكْسِير (al-ʔiksīr, “philosopher's stone”), from Ancient Greek ξηρίον (xēríon, “powder for drying wounds”), from ξηρός (xērós, “dry”).

Forms

elixirs

Derived

elixiric elixirist elixirlike elixir of life elixir of vitriol elixir proprietatis elixir vitae