From the book
A Chymical Dictionary
Gerhard Dorn and John French · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordA term for extreme fineness of powder, not necessarily a liquid.
- In the bookThe next entry, Alcool vini, is expressly defined as rectified spirit of wine.
- A place to readThe historical definition below, 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 2; facsimile PDF page 330.
Historical definition
Alcol, Alcool, or Alcohol is a very fine powder of any substance.
Meaning
The defining feature is the state of division. The phrase “of any substance” makes clear that this entry does not identify one particular material: many substances can be described under the same term when reduced to a sufficiently fine powder. In this setting, reading Alcohol automatically as the familiar spirit of wine would change the material condition described by the source.
The entry also preserves three written forms. A reader consulting an index under Alcohol should therefore reach Alcol and Alcool as well. Their equivalence here does not justify treating every similar-looking word as a spelling variant; Alcofol is separately identified with stibium or antimony.
Use in the book
The next entry, Alcool vini, is expressly defined as rectified spirit of wine. The added qualification changes the dictionary’s identification. Taken together, the two entries offer a concise demonstration of why complete expressions matter more than isolated modern word recognition. Look for the named material, the preparation and the context before translating the term into a present-day category.
Places to read
- AlcolRead the complete historical definition and its commentary.
- Alcool viniThe wine-qualified term for rectified spirit.
- AlcofolA variant-name entry identifying stibium or antimony.
Source note
Historical source. 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 2; facsimile PDF page 330 — Facsimile
Sources. A Chymicall Dictionary (1650), s.v. Alcol ; compare Alcool vini, Alcofol