Meanings
plural litharges
- countableuncountablelead monoxide (PbO) a toxic solid formed from oxidation of lead in air, and used as a pigment.
Yes: living among the cohabations^([sic]) of Faust himself, among the litharge and agate and hyacinth and pearls.
1947, Malcolm Lowry, Under the Volcano, New York: Reynal & Hitchcock, page 861 more example
From an inner pocket he produces a costly Ramillies Wig, shakes it out in a brisk Cloud of scented Litharge, and claps it on, with a minimum of fuss, over his ascetic’s Crop.
1997, Thomas Pynchon, Mason & Dixon, 1st US edition, New York: Henry Holt and Company, →ISBN, part One: Latitudes and Departures, page 227
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
- Ancient Greekλιθάργυρος
- Latinlithargyrus
- Old Frenchlitarge
- Middle Englishlitarge
- Englishlitharge
From Middle English litarge, from Old French litarge, from Latin lithargyrus, from Ancient Greek λιθάργυρος (lithárguros), from λίθος (líthos, “stone”) + αργυρός (argurós, “silver”).
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek λιθάργυρος
- λιθάργυρος (lithárguros)lead monoxide
French litharge
- lithargelead monoxide
Greek λιθάργυρος
- λιθάργυρος (lithárgyros)lead monoxide
Persian مرداسنگ
- مرداسنگ (mordāsang)lead monoxide
Spanish litargirio
- litargiriolead monoxide
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
litharge. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/litharge
“litharge.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/litharge. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “litharge,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/litharge.
Source: litharge on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.