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Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · English Edition

Gerhard Dorn and John French

A Chymical Dictionary

An Expanded Diotimos Lexicon of Paracelsian and Alchemical Language

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A Chymical DictionaryElephas

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English Edition · Branch 235 of 740

Elephas

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A Chymical Dictionary

p. 235

Elephas

Salts solvents and liquid preparations · A Chymical Dictionary

At a Glance

The word. An alternative name for aqua fortis.

In the book. Quartatio mentions aqua fortis within an account of separating silver and gold.

A place to read. The historical definition below, 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 20; facsimile PDF page 348.

Historical Definition

Elephas is aqua fortis.

Meaning

The identification directs the reader to a named water rather than to the everyday creature suggested by the headword. The definition gives no additional strength, preparation or particular use under Elephas.

Use in the Book

Quartatio mentions aqua fortis within an account of separating silver and gold. Aqua corrodens supplies a broader corrosive-liquor vocabulary. These connections give historical settings in which the name may be encountered, while the present entry itself remains only an identification. No modern concentration or procedure follows from it.

Places to Read

Aqua corrodens. A liquid category defined by corrosive action, including vinegar.

Quartatio. A gold assay described through the separation of silver from gold.

Historical source: 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 20; facsimile PDF page 348 — Facsimile

Sources. A Chymicall Dictionary 1650, s.v. Elephas

See also. Aqua corrodens; Quartatio

235

About This Reading Edition

The complete 706 historical definitions of the 1650 English dictionary, modernised and accompanied by expanded Diotimos commentary, reading routes, 15 textual notes and complete linked indexes.

Historical Text

A Chymicall Dictionary, London 1650, English version associated with John French, based on Gerhard Dorn’s Dictionarium Theophrasti Paracelsi. The containing volume also prints Sendivogius and Paracelsus; neither neighboring work changes this dictionary’s attribution.

About This Edition

Complete 706 definition paragraphs with new introduction, commentary, reading guides and indexes; Diotimos Editions, 2026.

Rights

The historical 1650 English text is in the public domain. New introduction, commentary, reading guides and indexes are © 2026 Diotimos Editions and published with the site owner’s authorization.