I. ar·se·nic ˈärs( ə )nik, ˈȧs-, -ēk — see arsenic II noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English arsenic, arsenicum, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French arsenic, from Latin arsenicum, from Greek arsenikon, arrhenikon yellow orpiment, by folk etymology (influence of Greek arsenikos, arrhenikos male, virile, from arsen-, arrhen-, arsēn, arrhēn male + -ikos -ic) from Syriac zarnīg, of Iranian origin; akin to Avestan zaranya gold, Old Persian daraniya; akin to Sanskrit hiraṇya gold, hari yellowish — more at arrhenatherum , yellow
1. : a trivalent and pentavalent metalloid element commonly metallic steel-gray, crystalline, and brittle but known also in other forms (as black amorphous and yellow crystalline forms), that occurs in the free state (as in tarnished granular or kidney-shaped masses having a specific gravity of 5.73) and also combined in minerals (as arsenopyrite, orpiment, realgar, arsenolite) and in ores of other metals (as copper, gold) from which it is usually separated as a by-product in the form of arsenic trioxide, and that is used in small amounts in alloys (as an alloy with lead for shot) and in the form of its compounds chiefly as poisons (as insecticides), in pharmaceutical preparations, and in glass — symbol As ; see element table
2. : arsenic trioxide — used chiefly commercially
II. ar·sen·ic (ˈ)är|senik, (ˈ)ȧ|-, -ēk; in names of compounds below beginning with “arsenic”, the usually pronunc in “arsenic acid” is that found here, the usually pronunc in other cases is that found at arsenic I adjective
: of, relating to, or containing arsenic — used especially of compounds in which this element is pentavalent