philosophers' stone

A form of philosopher's stone — A supposed substance able to turn base metals, such as lead or mercury, into gold or silver, also sometimes claimed to cure any illness (as panacea) or confer immortality (as elixir of life), among other functions.

Similar
philosopher's stoneelixir
OriginMiddle English philosophres ston ← Latin lapis philosophōrum →
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Meanings

nounphilosophers' stone (plural philosophers' stones)

plural philosophers' stones

  1. alternativeAlternative form of philosopher's stone.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounhypothetical substance that the alchemists believed to be capable of changing base metals into gold

Similar
philosopher's stoneelixir
Broader
substance
Also see
elixirphilosopher's stone

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinlapis philosophōrum
  2. Middle Englishphilosophres ston
  3. Englishphilosophers' stone

From Middle English philosophres ston, a calque of Latin lapis philosophōrum.

More words from Middle English, Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

philosophers' stone. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/philosophers'%20stone

MLA

“philosophers' stone.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/philosophers'%20stone. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “philosophers' stone,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/philosophers'%20stone.

Source: philosophers' stone on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.