philosopher by fire

English

Etymology

A calque of Latin philosophus per ignem (“philosopher by fire”).

Noun

philosopher by fire (plural philosophers by fire)

  1. (obsolete) Synonym of alchemist.
    • 1824, “Barometer”, in Supplement to the fourth, fifth, and sixth editions of the Encyclopedia Britannica, volume 2, Edinburgh: Printed for A. Constable, →OCLC, page 117:
      […] alchemists, styled also philosophers by fire, […]

References

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