calcine

The story

1. Pre-Greek · derived from
2. Ancient Greek · derived fromχᾰ́λῐξ“small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble”
3. Latin · derived fromcalcis
4. Late Latin · derived fromcalcīna“inorganic material containing calcium, lime”
5. Medieval Latin · derived fromcalcināre“(alchemy) to burn like lime; to reduce to calx”
6. Old French · derived fromcalciner
7. Middle English · inherited fromcalcinen“(alchemy, medicine) to heat (something) until it turns to powder; to change the nature of (something) by heating”
8. English todaycalcine

The verb is derived from Late Middle English calcinen (“(alchemy, medicine) to heat (something) until it turns to powder; to change the nature of (something) by heating”) [and other forms], from Old French calciner (modern French calciner (“to calcinate; to calcine”)) and from its etymon Medieval Latin calcināre (“(alchemy) to burn like lime; to reduce to calx”), from Late Latin calcīna (“inorganic material containing calcium, lime”) + -āre (suffix forming present active infinitive forms of verbs). Calcīna is derived from Latin calcis, the genitive singular of calx (“chalk; limestone”), possibly from Ancient Greek χᾰ́λῐξ (khắlĭx, “small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble”); further etymology unknown, possibly Pre-Greek. The noun is derived from the verb.

Words from the same roots