n.
Pronunciation: ' ka-l ə -m ə l, - ˌ mel
Function: noun
Etymology: probably from New Latin *calomelas, from Greek kalos beautiful + melas black ― more at MELAN-
Date: 1676
: a white tasteless compound Hg 2 Cl 2 used especially as a component of laboratory electrodes, as a fungicide, and formerly in medicine as a purgative ― called also mercurous chloride