alchemist
錬金術師
解説 Definition
中世ヨーロッパで卑金属を金に変えようとした研究者。化学の前身となる錬金術を実践した人物。
An alchemist was a person in the past who studied alchemy, an early form of chemistry mixed with philosophy and magic-like ideas. Alchemists often tried to change common metals into gold or discover special substances.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
alchemist は alchemy（錬金術）をする人、と分けると覚えやすいです。-ist は「その分野の人」で、artist, scientist, chemist と同じ型。特に chemist と並べると記憶に残りやすく、chemist が現代の化学者なら、alchemist は lead を gold に変えようとした昔の研究者。a medieval alchemist, turn metal into gold, search for the elixir of life などの場面と結ぶと、神秘的で前近代的な語感が定着し、単なる scientist と混同しにくくなります。
An alchemist is related to alchemy, an old early form of chemistry. Think of a mysterious person in a lab trying to change metals into gold. The word often feels historical, magical, or philosophical rather than modern scientific.
例文
The alchemist spent years searching for the philosopher's stone.
その錬金術師は哲学者の石を探し続けた。
In the laboratory, the alchemist carefully mixed herbs and metals.
実験室で錬金術師は慎重に薬草と金属を混ぜ合わせた。
Legends describe the alchemist as a mysterious figure who could transform base metals.
伝説では錬金術師は卑金属を変える不思議な存在として描かれている。
alchemist の類義語・関連語
alchemist の語源・成り立ち Etymology
alchemist は中世ラテン語 alchimista を経て、アラビア語 al-kimiya、さらにギリシャ語 khemeia にさかのぼる。al- は定冠詞、-ist は「人」で、核は「物質を変える術」。alchemy や chemistry も同系で、錬金術と化学が同じ根だと見える。
Alchemist came into English through Medieval Latin alchimista, from Arabic al-kimiya, and ultimately from Greek khemeia. The Arabic al- is the word for "the," while the main root referred to the art of transforming substances. Over time, the word came to mean a person who practiced alchemy, especially the attempt to change base metals into gold. Alchemy and chemistry come from the same historical root.
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