orichalcum

Etymology

From Latin orīchalcum, from Ancient Greek ὀρείχαλκος (oreíkhalkos), from dative singular of ὄρος (óros, “mountain”) + χαλκός (khalkós, “copper”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɒɹɪˈkalkəm/

Noun

orichalcum (uncountable)

1. A valuable yellow metal known to the Ancient Greeks and Romans; now sometimes interpreted as referring to a natural alloy of gold and copper, and sometimes treated as a mythical substance.
   • 2008, Jonathan Black, A Secret History of the World, Quercus 2008, p. 162:

     Many walls were coated with metals – with brass, tin and a red ^[sic] metal, unknown to us, called orichalcum.

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ὀρείχαλκος (oreíkhalkos).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /o.riːˈkʰal.kum/, [ɔ.riːˈkʰaɫ.kũ]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /o.riˈkal.kum/

Noun

orichalcum n (genitive orichalcī); second declension

1. yellow copper ore, or an alloy of gold and copper
2. a mythical mineral
3. (Late Latin, Medieval Latin, poetic) brass (or brass objects)
   • Vulgate Bible, Douay-Rheims Version, Revelation 1ː15

     et pedes eius similes orichalco sicut in camino ardenti et vox illius tamquam vox aquarum multarum

References

• orichalcum in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• orichalcum in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• orichalcum in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
• orichalcum in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• orichalcum in William Smith et al., editor (1890) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin