calomel
[ kal-uh-mel, -muh l ]
/ ˈkæl əˌmɛl, -məl /
noun Pharmacology.
a white, tasteless powder, Hg2Cl2, used chiefly as a purgative and fungicide.
Also called
mercurous chloride.
Origin of calomel
1670–80; < New Latin
calomelas coined from Greek
kaló(s) fair +
mélas black; allegedly so called because its original preparation involved turning black powder into white
Words nearby calomel
calmative,
calmette,
calmodulin,
calmy,
calochortus,
calomel,
calomel electrode,
caloocan,
caloosahatchee,
calor,
calor gas
Example sentences from the Web for calomel
British Dictionary definitions for calomel
calomel
/ (ˈkæləˌmɛl, -məl) /
noun
a colourless tasteless powder consisting chiefly of mercurous chloride, used medicinally, esp as a cathartic. Formula: Hg 2 Cl 2
Word Origin for calomel
C17: perhaps from New Latin
calomelas (unattested), literally: beautiful black (perhaps so named because it was originally sublimed from a black mixture of mercury and mercuric chloride), from Greek
kalos beautiful +
melas black
Medical definitions for calomel
calomel
[ kăl′ə-mĕl′, -məl ]
n.
A colorless, white or brown tasteless compound used as a purgative and an insecticide.
mercurous chloride