saturn

plural saturns

1. The Southeast Asian butterfly Zeuxidia amethystus, family Nymphalidae.

1. astronomyThe sixth planet of the solar system, known for its large rings, and until recent times the furthest known; represented in astronomy and astrology by ♄.
2. Romanhuman sciencesThe god of fertility and agriculture, equivalent to the Greek Cronos.

   Synonyms: ♄

3. A former brand of car by GM (1985–2010).

   Saturn promised us no-haggle purchasing and no-dent body panels.

1. rareuncountablegovernmentSable (black), in the postmedieval practice of blazoning the tinctures in the arms of certain sovereign people and places as planets.

   The Archiepiscopal See of Armagh bears Jupiter, a Pastoral Staff in Pale Luna, ensigned with a Cross Pattee Sol, surmounded by a Pall of the second, edged and fringed of the third, charged with four like Crosses Pattee Fitched Saturn.

   1739, James Ware, Walter Harris, The Whole Works of Sir James Ware Concerning Ireland, volume 1, page 1

   2 more examples

   12. Venus, a Staff in Pale Sol, and thereupon a Cross Pattee, Luna surmounted off a Pall of the last, charged with 4. like Crosses fitched Saturn, edged and stringed as the second. This Coat belongs to the Archiepiscopal See of Canterbury, to whose place it appertains to Crown and Inaugurate the Kings of England.

   1693, Richard Blome, The Art of Heraldry, in two parts ... second edition ..., pages 76-77

   […] The Field is Luna, a Chevron, Mars, between three Bull's Heads couped Saturn, armed Sol. This Coat-Armour pertained to the Right Noble Family of Thomas Bulleine Lord hoo and Hastings, Viscount Rochford, […] [pages 200-201:] I have omitted, in this Edition, that Escucheon Sol, charged with three Toads erected Saturn, which, according to some Authors, was the Coat-Armour of the ancient Kings of France; […]

   1724, John Guillim, A Display of Heraldry, page 151

2. obsoleteuncountablealchemyLead (the metal).

   2 more examples

   Another pair of terms which caused some confusion were Spirit of Saturn and Spirit of Venus, names suggesting compounds of lead and copper respectively. Jean Beguin described the preparation from minium and distilled vinegar of a liquid he called burning spirit of Saturn, because it was inflammable and he thought it was a compound of lead. Actually the lead takes no part in the reaction and the product of distilling lead acetate is impure acetone. Beguin’s terminology did not go without comment however, for Christopher Glaser later referred to ‘A burning Spirit of Saturn (as it is called) but rather, a Spirit of the Volatile Salt of Vinegar’. Tachenius referred to the product of distillation of copper acetate as ‘pretended spirit of Venus’ because it was really only distilled vinegar - the meaning which Macquer gave to the expression. It is typical of the confusion of terminology in early chemistry that the London Pharmacopoeia of 1721 gave the name Spiritus Veneris to sulphuric acid obtained by the distillation of copper sulphate.

   2004, Maurice P. Crosland, Historical Studies in the Language of Chemistry, page 89

   The association of the heavenly bodies with known metals and also with human organs and destinies goes back to ancient Chaldea, the land of astrologers. In Chaucer’s words: ‘The seven bodies eek, lo hear anon. Sol gold is, and Luna silver we declare; Mars yron, Mercurie is quyksilver; Saturnian leed; and Jubitur is tyn, and Venus coper, by my fathers kyn.’ […] Corresponding names were bestowed upon salts of these metals by the alchemists, and some of them have persisted down to the present day. Some examples are lunar caustic (silver nitrate); vitriol of Venus (copper sulphate); sugar of Saturn (lead acetate); and vitriol of Mars, or Martial vitriol (ferrous sulphate).

   2013, John Read, From Alchemy to Chemistry

3. uncountableA car of the former Saturn brand by GM.

   Remember that guy who worked in the warehouse who used to drive that blue Saturn? That guy was the best. I wonder where he is now?