aqua regia

[ ree-jee-uh ]

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a yellow, fuming liquid composed of one part nitric acid and three to four parts hydrochloric acid: used chiefly to dissolve metals as gold, platinum, or the like.

aqua regia

/ ˈriːdʒɪə /

noun

1. a yellow fuming corrosive mixture of one part nitric acid and three to four parts hydrochloric acid, used in metallurgy for dissolving metals, including gold Also callednitrohydrochloric acid

aqua regia

/ rē′jē-ə,rē′jə /

1. A corrosive, fuming, volatile mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acids. Aqua regia is used for testing metals and dissolving platinum and gold.

Word History and Origins

Origin of aqua regia¹

1600–10; < New Latin: literally, royal water

Word History and Origins

Origin of aqua regia¹

C17: from New Latin: royal water; referring to its use in dissolving gold, the royal metal

Example Sentences

Neither this acid nor the nitrous will dissolve gold or platina; but a mixture of them, called aqua regia, will do it.

From Project Gutenberg

Platina is precipitated from a solution in aqua regia by sal-ammoniac, as gold is by martial vitriol.

From Project Gutenberg

It is soluble in the vitriolic or marine acids, and reduced to a yellow calx by nitrous acid or aqua regia.

From Project Gutenberg

When solutions in aqua regia are evaporated, chlorides are left.

From Project Gutenberg

It is used with hydrochloric acid as a substitute for aqua regia.

From Project Gutenberg