arsenic
noun /ˈɑːsnɪk/
/ˈɑːrsnɪk/
[uncountable] (symbol As)
- a chemical element. Arsenic is a grey metalloid (= has properties of both metals and other solid substances) and is very poisonous, especially in its compound forms.
- The doctor found traces of arsenic in his body.
- chocolates laced with arsenic
Oxford Collocations DictionaryArsenic is used before these nouns:- poisoning
Word Originlate Middle English (denoting yellow orpiment (a mineral), arsenic sulphide): via Old French from Latin arsenicum, from Greek arsenikon ‘yellow orpiment’, identified with arsenikos ‘male’, but in fact from Arabic al-zarnīk̲ ‘the orpiment’ (a bright yellow mineral), based on Persian zar ‘gold’.