Agency Dictionary
Elixir
nounPronunciation: /ɪˈlɪk.sər/
In Portuguese: Elixir
Spirituality & MythWhat does “Elixir” mean?
A magical or medicinal potion believed capable of curing illnesses or conferring exceptional vitality.
Etymology
From Medieval Latin elixir, from Arabic al-iksir, the alchemists' name for the substance believed to turn base metals into gold and to prolong life. The Arabic word is probably a borrowing of late Greek xerion, a dry powder for treating wounds, from xeros ("dry"). In English since the Middle English period, in alchemy. The senses of a cure for all ills and of a sweetened medicinal liquid came afterwards.
Usage note
Stressed on the second syllable. The set phrase "elixir of life" keeps the alchemical sense; in pharmacy an elixir is a sweetened solution that carries a drug.
Synonyms
- potion
- panacea
- tonic
- cure-all
- philtre
- nostrum
Rhymes with
- mixer
- fixer
Usage examples
Theuth offered the invention of writing to the king and told him it was an elixir of memory and wisdom.
Concepts
- Externalized MemoryExternalized memory is the technological and cognitive practice of offloading information, knowledge, and recollection tasks onto external physical or digital media…
- Myth of TheuthThe myth of Theuth is a philosophical allegory recounted by Plato in the Phaedrus concerning the divine invention and human reception of the written word. It presents…
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
Words of the same theme
- Rebirthnoun
- A new beginning after a period of decline or destruction, used in mythology to describe the cyclical return to life after death. In Archetype.0, rebirth is the defining characteristic of both the Bennu and the Phoenix.
- Synchronicitynoun
- The simultaneous occurrence of events that appear meaningfully related yet lack a direct causal connection.
- Self-immolationnoun
- The deliberate destruction of oneself, typically by fire. In Archetype.0, self-immolation is the voluntary act by which the phoenix builds a nest of fragrant spices and woods, ignites itself and is consumed by the flames.
- Immortalitynoun
- The quality of being immune to permanent death, living or enduring beyond a single lifespan. In Archetype.0, immortality is one of the five semiotic attributes of the Phoenix: the flames are not an end but a transition, an essential phase of its immortal existence.
- Mjolnirnoun
- In Norse mythology, the hammer of the god Thor, forged by dwarfs and known for its short handle. It is the weapon with which he defends gods and humans.
- Agapenoun
- A selfless, unconditional, and altruistic form of love often associated in theology with divine charity.
- Androgynenoun
- A mythical primordial being uniting male and female characteristics in a single unified body.
- Blissnoun
- A state of supreme happiness, utter contentment, or serene, untroubled joy.
- Chacronanoun
- The tropical shrub Psychotria viridis whose leaves provide dimethyltryptamine in the preparation of ayahuasca.
- Decoctionnoun
- The process of extracting soluble chemicals and active compounds from tough plant materials by continuous boiling in water.
- Entheogenicadjective
- Relating to or possessing the capacity to induce religious, spiritual, or sacred altered states of consciousness.
Also from these editions: terms
- Alchemistnoun
- A practitioner of alchemy, seeking to transmute base metals into noble elements and discover a universal cure.
- Ambiguitynoun
- The quality of being open to more than one interpretation; inexactness or uncertainty of meaning.
- Bombasticadjective
- High-sounding, pompous, or inflated in speech or style with little genuine substance or humility.
- Decorumnoun
- Behavior in keeping with good taste, propriety, and established standards of dignity.
- Demagoguenoun
- A political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices rather than rational argument.
- Epiphanynoun
- A moment of sudden and profound intuitive comprehension, clarity, or essential insight.
- Placebonoun
- A medically ineffectual treatment or substance designed to deceive the recipient, often used as a control in scientific trials.
- Poisonnoun
- A substance that causes death or severe physical harm when introduced into or absorbed by a living organism.
- Potionnoun
- A liquid concoction endowed with purported medicinal, magical, toxic, or transformative powers.
- Remedynoun
- A medicine, treatment, or therapy that cures a disease, relieves physical suffering, or rectifies a systemic flaw.
- Technocratnoun
- An exponent of technocracy, or an expert whose authority derives from technical or managerial proficiency rather than democratic mandate.
Also from these editions: concepts
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- SocratesSocrates was a philosopher of Athens in the fifth century BCE who left no writings and is known through his students, above all Plato. The Agency editorial names him in…
- Jacques-Louis DavidJacques-Louis David was a French painter, the leading name of Neoclassicism, who painted The Death of Socrates in 1787. The Agency editorial names him twice and only for…
- PhaedrusPhaedrus was an Athenian of the circle of Socrates, remembered because Plato made him a speaker in the Symposium and named another dialogue after him. The Agency…
- Charles DarwinCharles Darwin was the English naturalist who formulated the theory of evolution by natural selection, set out in On the Origin of Species. In the Agency editorial he…
- Jacques DerridaJacques Derrida was a French philosopher born in Algeria, associated with deconstruction. Issue.26, the edition about the Greek concept of pharmakon, names him once, in…
- ParacelsusParacelsus was a Swiss physician and alchemist of the sixteenth century, known for the maxim that the dose makes the poison. Issue.26, the edition about pharmakon…
- Plato's PharmacyPlato's Pharmacy is an essay by Jacques Derrida. It appears only in the Portuguese edition of Issue.26, where Derrida is said to have written extensively about the…
- Quentin MatsysQuentin Matsys was a Flemish painter who worked in Antwerp in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. Issue.26 names him once, in the credit of an image: the…
- AkrasiaAkrasia is the philosophical phenomenon of acting against one's own better judgment while being fully aware of what is right. It describes the frustrating psychological…