Orpiment

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɔːpɪmənt/

Definitions

1. a bright yellow arsenic sulfide mineral used historically as a pigment and in medicine
2. a vivid yellow compound of arsenic and sulfur employed in traditional art and alchemical practices
3. a naturally occurring arsenical mineral prized for its intense golden-yellow color in pigmentation and ancient remedies

Etymology: Orpiment is a bright yellow mineral, and its name is a compound of two Latin words: "aurum", meaning gold, and "pigmentum", meaning pigment. The Latin "auripigmentum" literally meant "gold pigment," a name that fits the mineral's colour, which was prized as a painter's yellow for centuries. The word passed into Middle English as "orpyment" and came to English through Old French "orpiment." Along the way the initial "au-" of the Latin was worn down to "or-," so the golden origin of the name is hidden in its modern spelling and sound.

Synonyms: arsenic sulfide, yellow arsenic