arsenic

• arsenick (obsolete)

From Middle English arsenik, borrowed from Middle French arsenic, from Latin arsenicum, from Ancient Greek ἀρσενικόν (arsenikón, “yellow arsenic”) (influenced by ἀρσενικός (arsenikós, “potent, virile”)), from Semitic (compare Classical Syriac ܙܪܢܝܟܐ (zarnīḵā), Aramaic 𐡆𐡓𐡍𐡉𐡊𐡀 (zrnykʾ /⁠zarnīḵā⁠/)), from Middle Iranian *zarnīk (compare Persian زرنی (zarni, “arsenic”)), from Old Median *zaraniyakā (compare Avestan 𐬰𐬀𐬭𐬀𐬥𐬌𐬌𐬀 (zaraniia, “golden”), Old Persian 𐎭𐎼𐎴𐎹 (d-r-n-y /⁠daraniyaʰ⁠⁠⁠/, “gold”), Sanskrit हिरण्य (híraṇya, “gold”), Persian زر (zar, “gold”)), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰelh₃-. More at yellow.

Noun

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈɑː(ɹ).sə.nɪk/
• (US) enPR: ärʹsən-ĭk, IPA^(key): /ˈɑɹsənɪk/

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Adjective

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɑː(ɹ)ˈsɛnɪk/

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• (US) enPR: är-sĕnʹĭk, IPA^(key): /ɑɹˈsɛnɪk/

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arsenic (countable and uncountable, plural arsenics)

2. A toxic grey brittle nonmetallic chemical element (symbol As) with an atomic number of 33.
   • 2025 January 15, “FDA moves to eliminate carcinogenic Red 3 from foods”, in Center for Science in the Public Interest‎^[1]:

     CSPI says the Trump Administration could take steps to protect consumers from each of these chemicals and support FDA’s broader post-market assessment efforts. It could ensure that FDA sets health-protective limits on heavy metals, like lead, arsenic, and cadmium, in foods consumed by children.

3. (countable) A single atom of this element.
4. Arsenic trioxide.

arsenic (not comparable)

1. (chemistry) Of or containing arsenic with a valence of 5.

• carnies, scarine, carines, scenari, cerasin, Racines, sarcine, Cairnes, arcsine, Serican

Learned borrowing from Latin arsenicum.

• IPA^(key): /aʁ.sə.nik/

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arsenic m (uncountable)

1. arsenic (chemical element)

• oxyde blanc d'arsenic

• Lingala: aseni

• “arsenic”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

• cernais, enciras, encrais, racines, ricanes, ricanés

From Latin arsenicum.

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arsenic m (uncountable)

1. arsenic

Borrowed from French arsenic, from Latin arsenicum.

arsenic n (uncountable)

1. arsenic