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Metals minerals and metallic preparations

Melibæum

An alternative name for copper.

From the book

A Chymical Dictionary

Gerhard Dorn and John French · Diotimos Editions · 2026

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Orientation

At a Glance

  • The wordAn alternative name for copper.
  • In the bookLato, in contrast, identifies copper after it has received a golden colour through lapis calaminaris.
  • A place to readThe historical definition below, 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 32; facsimile PDF page 360.

Historical definition

Melibæum is copper.

Meaning

The entry gives an unqualified metallic equivalent. It does not specify a colour-changing preparation or a refined state of the copper.

Use in the book

Lato, in contrast, identifies copper after it has received a golden colour through lapis calaminaris. The pair distinguishes a plain material-name from a name which carries an account of treatment.

Places to read

  1. MelibæumRead the complete historical definition and its commentary.
  2. LatoCopper identified after treatment that gives it a gold-like colour.

Source note

Historical source. 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 32; facsimile PDF page 360 — Facsimile

Sources. A Chymical Dictionary 1650, 1650 dictionary, facsimile PDF page 360, Melibæum