elixir

See also: elixír, elíxir, and élixir

English

Etymology

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”).[1][2]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɪˈlɪksə(ɹ)/, /ə-/, /-ɪə(ɹ)/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪksə(ɹ)

Noun

elixir (plural elixirs)

  1. (alchemy) A liquid which converts lead to gold.
    • 2002, Philip Ball, The Elements: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford, published 2004, page 59:
      For Chinese alchemists, gold held the key to the Elixir, the Eastern equivalent of the Philosopher's Stone.
  2. (alchemy) A substance or liquid which is believed to cure all ills and give eternal life.
  3. (by extension) The alleged cure for all ailments; cure-all, panacea.
    • 2015 August 1, Steven Pinker, “The moral imperative for bioethics”, in The Boston Globe‎[1], archived from the original on 27 September 2026:
      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 replacement therapy.
  4. (pharmacy) 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.
    • 1906, JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, volume 47, pages 872–875:
      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.

Derived terms

Translations

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Translations to be checked

References

  1. ^ Hugh Chisholm, editor (1911), “Elixir”, in Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th edition, volume 9, pages 281–282
  2. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2026), “elixir (n.)”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Asturian

Verb

elixir

  1. to choose
  2. to elect

Synonyms

Dutch

Etymology

From Medieval Latin elixir, from Arabic اَلْإِكْسِير (al-ʔiksīr), from Ancient Greek ξηρίον (xēríon, “medicinal powder”), from ξηρός (xērós, “dry”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˌeːˈlɪk.sɪr/, /ˌeːˈlɪk.sər/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: elixir

Noun

elixir n (plural elixirs, diminutive elixirtje n)

  1. alternative form of elixer

Derived terms

Galician

Etymology 1

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰ
Proto-Indo-European *-s
Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰs
Proto-Italic *eks
Latin ex
Latin ex-
Proto-Indo-European *leǵ-
Proto-Indo-European *-eti
Proto-Indo-European *léǵeti
Proto-Italic *legō
Latin legō
Latin eligo
Galician elixir

    Inherited from Latin eligo. Doublet of esleer. Compare Portuguese eleger and Spanish elegir.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ɛliˈʃiɾ/ [ɛ.liˈʃiɾ]
    • Rhymes: -iɾ
    • Hyphenation: e‧li‧xir

    Verb

    elixir (first-person singular present elixo, first-person singular preterite elixín, past participle elixido, short past participle electo)

    1. to choose, elect
      • 1418, Á. Rodríguez González (ed.), Libro do Concello de Santiago (1416-1422). Santiago de Compostela: Consello da Cultura Galega, page 85:
        para que dos ditos dose omes o dito señor arçobispo o a quel que seu poder para elo touvese tomase et eligise dous deles que os lle aprovuese et os dese por alcalles enna dita çidade en quel anno
        so that of that twelve men said lord archbishop, or anyone who his power has at the momment, takes and chooses two of them, and that he approves and gives them as mayors of said city for that year
      Synonym: escoller
    Conjugation
        Conjugation of elixir (irregular short past participle)
    Singular Plural
    First-person
    (eu)     		Second-person
    (ti)     		Third-person
    (el / ela / Vde.)     		First-person
    (nós)     		Second-person
    (vós)     		Third-person
    (eles / elas / Vdes.)
    Infinitive
    Impersonal elixir
    Personal elixir elixires elixir elixirmos elixirdes elixiren
    Gerund
    elixindo
    Short past participle
    Masculine electo1 electos1
    Feminine electa1 electas1
    Long past participle
    Masculine elixido2 elixidos2
    Feminine elixida2 elixidas2
    Indicative
    Present elixo elixes elixe eliximos elixides elixen
    Imperfect elixía elixías elixía elixiamos elixiades elixían
    Preterite elixín elixiches elixiu eliximos elixistes elixiron
    Pluperfect elixira elixiras elixira elixiramos elixirades elixiran
    Future elixirei elixirás elixirá elixiremos elixiredes elixirán
    Conditional elixiría elixirías elixiría elixiriamos elixiriades elixirían
    Subjunctive
    Present elixa elixas elixa elixamos elixades elixan
    Imperfect elixise elixises elixise elixísemos elixísedes elixisen
    Future elixir elixires elixir elixirmos elixirdes elixiren
    Imperative
    Affirmative elixe elixa elixamos elixide elixan
    Negative (non) non elixas non elixa non elixamos non elixades non elixan

    1Usually used with auxiliary verbs ser and estar.
    2Usually used with auxiliary verbs haber and ter.

    Etymology 2

    From Medieval Latin elixir, from Arabic اَلْإِكْسِير (al-ʔiksīr), from Ancient Greek ξηρίον (xēríon, “medicinal powder”), from ξηρός (xērós, “dry”).

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ɛlikˈsiɾ/ [ɛ.likˈs̺iɾ]
    • Rhymes: -iɾ
    • Hyphenation: e‧li‧xir

    Noun

    elixir m (plural elixires)

    1. elixir

    References

    Latin

    Alternative forms

    Etymology

    From Arabic اَلْإِكْسِير (al-ʔiksīr), from Koine Greek ξηρῐ́ον (xērĭ́on, “medicinal powder”, from ξηρός (xērós, “dry”)), ellipsis of ξηρῐ́ον φᾰ́ρμᾰκον (xērĭ́on phắrmăkon, literally “dry powder medicine”).

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    elixir n (genitive elixiris); third declension (Medieval Latin, New Latin)

    1. (alchemy, pharmacy) elixir

    Declension

    Third-declension noun (neuter; i-stem or pure i-stem).

    singular plural
    nominative elixir elixira
    elixiria
    genitive elixiris elixirium
    dative elixirī elixiribus
    accusative elixir elixira
    elixiria
    ablative elixire
    elixirī     		elixiribus
    vocative elixir elixira
    elixiria

    Descendants

    Polish

    Noun

    elixir m inan

    1. Pre-1816 spelling of eliksir.

    Declension

    Declension of elixir
    singular plural
    nominative elixir elixiry
    genitive elixiru elixirów
    dative elixirowi elixirom
    accusative elixir elixiry
    instrumental elixirem elixirami
    locative elixirze elixirach
    vocative elixirze elixiry

    Portuguese

    Pronunciation

     
     
    • (Portugal) IPA(key): /ɛ.liˈʃiɾ/
      • (Southern Portugal) IPA(key): /ɛ.liˈʃi.ɾi/

    • Hyphenation: e‧li‧xir

    Noun

    elixir m (plural elixires)

    1. (alchemy) elixir (liquid which was believed to turn non-precious metals to gold)
    2. (fiction) a magical potion

    Derived terms

    Further reading

    Romanian

    Etymology

      Borrowed from French élixir.

      Noun

      elixir n (plural elixire)

      1. elixir

      Declension

      singular plural
      indefinite definite indefinite definite
      nominative-accusative elixir elixirul elixire elixirele
      genitive-dative elixir elixirului elixire elixirelor
      vocative elixirule elixirelor

      Spanish

      Pronunciation

      • IPA(key): /eliɡˈsiɾ/ [e.liɣ̞ˈsiɾ]
      • Rhymes: -iɾ
      • Syllabification: e‧li‧xir

      Noun

      elixir m (plural elixires)

      1. alternative spelling of elíxir

      Further reading

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