Meanings
plural sphragides
- countableuncountablechemistryAn aluminous earth of a grayish yellow color; a medicinal clay.
Lemnian earth (sphragide bole, a kind of fine clay)
1874, Reports on the Vienna Universal Exhibition of 1873, page 4983 more examples
Dr. Hawks says it is found in Lemnos, sometimes called Terra Lemnia, and used in medicine. It is sometimes called sphragide.
1860, Archaeologia AmericanaThe genuine Lemnian earth of the Greeks, or Sphragide, was a yellowish-grey earth or clay found in the Island of Stalimene (ancient Lemnos).
1906, The National Druggist - Volume 36, page 269Pb content is relatively elevated in the sphragides compared to some of the sediments, but not all (i.e. LE6-1.60).
2017, C.J. Duffin, C. Gardner-Thorpe, R.T.J. Moody, Geology and Medicine: Historical Connections, →ISBN, page 151Synonyms: Lemnian earth, Lemnian bole
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAn aluminous earth of a grayish yellow color; a medicinal clay.
Origin
- Ancient Greekσφραγίς“a seal”
- Latinsphragis
- Englishsphragide
From Latin sphragis, sphragidis (“Lemnian earth”), from Ancient Greek σφραγίς (sphragís, “a seal”), so called because sold in sealed packets.
More words from Latin, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
sphragide. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sphragide
“sphragide.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sphragide. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sphragide,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sphragide.
Source: sphragide on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.