From the book
A Chymical Dictionary
Gerhard Dorn and John French · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordThe wine-qualified term for rectified spirit.
- In the bookAqua Celestis gives another name for rectified wine, linked there to subtlety and purity.
- A place to readThe historical definition below, 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 2; facsimile PDF page 330.
Historical definition
Alcool vini is rectified spirit of wine.
Meaning
This definition supplies the distinction a modern reader most needs beside Alcohol. The unqualified term is defined as a very fine powder; with vini, it becomes the spirit of wine in a rectified condition. The difference is in the full expression, not merely in spelling. Rectified also records a prepared state rather than simply naming wine as consumed.
The entry provides no strength, number of rectifications or complete procedure. It is therefore best used to identify the historical family of preparation, leaving its exact specification to the passage being read.
Use in the book
Aqua Celestis gives another name for rectified wine, linked there to subtlety and purity. That comparison helps explain how one material family can acquire both practical and figurative names.
Places to read
- Alcool viniRead the complete historical definition and its commentary.
- AlcolA term for extreme fineness of powder, not necessarily a liquid.
- Aqua CelestisRectified wine described through a heavenly comparison.
Source note
Historical source. 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 2; facsimile PDF page 330 — Facsimile
Sources. A Chymicall Dictionary (1650), s.v. Alcool vini ; compare Alcol, Aqua Celestis