arsenical

A1R1S1E1N1I1C3A1L1
UK/ɑːˈsɛnɪkl̩/

adjective

Of or pertaining to, or containing, arsenic.

OriginProto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? ← Latin arsenicum ← Medieval Greek ἀρσενικόν (arsenikón) →
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Meanings

adjectivearsenical (comparative more arsenical, superlative most arsenical)

comparative more arsenical · superlative most arsenical

  1. Of or pertaining to, or containing, arsenic.

    Radio-active baths are said to act favourably in a sexual direction. So too with arsenical springs, cold water treatment, and hydrotherapy.

    1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 156
nounarsenical (plural arsenicals)

plural arsenicals

  1. Any drug or other substance containing arsenic.

    Thus Mercury cures the holes which it has provoked and other Arsenicals do likewise.

    1999, Paracelsus, “Opus Paramirum”, in Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, transl., Essential Readings, North Atlantic Books, page 95

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ǵʰelh₃-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ǵʰl̥h₃enyom
  3. Proto-Indo-Iranian*ȷ́ʰr̥Hanyam
  4. Proto-Iranian*jr̥Hanyam
  5. Old Median*zaranyam
  6. Old Median*kā
  7. Old Median*zaraniyakā
  8. Middle Persian*zarnīk
  9. Classical Syriacܙܪܢܝܟܐ (zarnīḵā)
  10. Arabicالزَرْنِيخ (az-zarnīḵ)
  11. Medieval Greekἀρσενικόν (arsenikón)
  12. Latinarsenicum
  13. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  14. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  15. Englisharsenical

From Latin arsenicum + -al.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan arsenical
  • arsenicalpertaining to or containing arsenic
Irish arsanach
  • arsanachpertaining to or containing arsenic
Portuguese arsénico, arsênico
  • arsénicopertaining to or containing arsenic
  • arsênicopertaining to or containing arsenic
Cite this entry
APA

arsenical. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/arsenical

MLA

“arsenical.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/arsenical. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “arsenical,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/arsenical.

Source: arsenical on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.