CUPEL


Meaning of CUPEL in English

[ 'kju:p(ə)l ]

■ noun a shallow, porous container in which gold or silver can be refined or assayed by melting with a blast of hot air which oxidizes lead or other base metals.

■ verb ( ~s , ~ling , ~led ; US ~s , ~ing , ~ed ) assay or refine (a metal) in a ~.

Derivatives

~lation noun

Origin

C17: from Fr. coupelle , dimin. of coupe 'goblet'.

Concise Oxford English vocab.      Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка.