amalgamatio

Forms

amalgamātiō f (genitive amalgamātiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Medieval Latin amalgamō (“to amalgamate”) + -tiō.^[1] amalgama (“amalgam”) is an alchemists' word, probably from Arabic الْمَلْغَم (al-malḡam, “emollient poultice”),^[2][1] which Wiktionary and Etymonline take, the latter with a “perhaps”, from Ancient Greek μάλαγμα (málagma, “softening substance”).^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The MLW's first example is from the alchemical work on stones ascribed to Avicenna, which Köbler dates to the 13th century; it mocks fools who work by amalgamation.^[3][4]

Semantic evolution

In medieval alchemy it meant the process of fusing a metal with quicksilver, and also the amalgam itself, as in a work ascribed to Geber.^[3] In Neo-Latin, Ruland's alchemical lexicon defines it as the calcination of a metal by quicksilver, made by mixing thin leaves of the metal with six to twelve parts of mercury.^[5] English amalgamation appears in the 1610s, for compounding mercury with another metal.^[2]

Timeline

• 13th century – The Pseudo-Avicennan work on stones uses it of an alchemical process.^[3][4]
• 1610s – English amalgamation appears.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. (Medieval Latin, alchemy) The fusing of a metal with quicksilver, amalgamation.^[3][5][1]
2. (Medieval Latin, alchemy) An amalgam.^[3]

Related words

• English amalgamation

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c d e Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de