orpiment

[ awr-puh-muhnt ]

noun

1. a mineral, arsenic trisulfide, As 2 S 3 , found usually in soft, yellow, foliated masses, used as a pigment.

orpiment

/ ˈɔːpɪmənt /

noun

1. a yellow mineral consisting of arsenic trisulphide in monoclinic crystalline form occurring in association with realgar: it is an ore of arsenic. Formula: As 2 S 3

Word History and Origins

Origin of orpiment¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Old French < Latin auripigmentum pigment of gold; auri- ¹, pigment

Word History and Origins

Origin of orpiment¹

C14: via Old French from Latin auripigmentum gold pigment

Example Sentences

I stuck my head inside a cabinet to get a close look at the rocks of the arsenic sulfides realgar and orpiment, blazes of flame orange locked within the crystals.

From The New Yorker

Green bice is prepared from the blue, by adding yellow orpiment, or by grinding down the green carbonate of copper.

From Project Gutenberg

The solidified juices, azure, chrysocolla, orpiment, and realgar, also frequently contain gold.

From Project Gutenberg

When the calx of arsenic is distilled with sulphur, the vitriolic acid flies off, and a substance of a yellow colour, called orpiment, is produced.

From Project Gutenberg

“I will take you to a place where anything may be bought—cobalt, lapis lazuli, cinnabar, orpiment, sandarac—and it is honestly sold.”

From Project Gutenberg