arsenic
nounadjectiveattested in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈɑː(ɹ).sə.nɪk//
- United Kingdom//ɑː(ɹ)ˈsɛnɪk//
- United States//ˈɑɹsənɪk//
- United States//ɑɹˈsɛnɪk//
A toxic grey brittle nonmetallic chemical element (symbol As) with an atomic number of 33.
noun
- 1
A toxic grey brittle nonmetallic chemical element (symbol As) with an atomic number of 33.
The mining industry also had a hand in two other rollbacks. One was a decision to withdraw a Clinton rule that reduced by 80 percent the permissible standard for arsenic in drinking water.
CSPI says the Trump Administration could take steps to protect consumers from each of these chemicals and support FDA’s broader post-market assessment efforts. It could ensure that FDA sets health-protective limits on heavy metals, like lead, arsenic, and cadmium, in foods consumed by children.
- 2
A single atom of this element.
- 3
Arsenic trioxide.
Etymology
From Middle English arsenik, borrowed from Middle French arsenic, from Latin arsenicum, from Ancient Greek ἀρσενικόν (arsenikón, “yellow arsenic”) (influenced by ἀρσενικός (arsenikós, “potent, virile”)), from Semitic (compare Classical Syriac ܙܪܢܝܟܐ (zarnīḵā), Aramaic 𐡆𐡓𐡍𐡉𐡊𐡀 (zrnykʾ /zarnīḵā/)), from Middle Iranian *zarnīk (compare Persian زرنیخ (zirnīx /zernix, zarnīx /zarnix, “arsenic”), زرنی (zurnī /zorni), Bakhtiari زرنیق (zarniq)), from Old Median *zaraniyakā (compare Avestan 𐬰𐬀𐬭𐬀𐬥𐬌𐬌𐬀 (zaraniia, “golden”), Old Persian 𐎭𐎼𐎴𐎡𐎹 (d-r-n-i-y /daraniya-/, “gold”), Sanskrit हिरण्य (híraṇya, “gold”), Persian زر (zar, “gold”)), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰelh₃-. More at yellow.
adjective
- 1
Of or containing arsenic with a valence of 5.
Forms
- plural
- arsenics
arsenic · A toxic grey brittle nonmetallic chemical element (symbol As) with an atomic number of 33.
arson · The crime of deliberately starting a fire with intent to…art · The conscious production or arrangement of sounds, colours,…Art · A diminutive of the male given name Arthur, from the Celtic…