litharge

English

Red litharge crystals associated with yellow zincite.

Etymology

From Middle English litarge, from Old French litarge, from Latin lithargyrus, from Ancient Greek λιθάργυρος (lithárguros), from λίθος (líthos, “stone”) + αργυρός (argurós, “silver”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈlɪθɑːd͡ʒ/
• (General American) enPR: lĭthʹärj, IPA^(key): /ˈlɪθɑɹd͡ʒ/

Noun

litharge (countable and uncountable, plural litharges)

1. lead monoxide (PbO) a toxic solid formed from oxidation of lead in air, and used as a pigment.
   • 1947, Malcolm Lowry, Under the Volcano, New York: Reynal & Hitchcock, page 86:

     Yes: living among the cohabations^[sic] of Faust himself, among the litharge and agate and hyacinth and pearls.

   • 1997, Thomas Pynchon, Mason & Dixon, 1st US edition, New York: Henry Holt and Company, →ISBN, part One: Latitudes and Departures, page 227:

     From an inner pocket he produces a costly Ramillies Wig, shakes it out in a brisk Cloud of scented Litharge, and claps it on, with a minimum of fuss, over his ascetic’s Crop.

Translations

lead monoxide

• French: litharge (fr) f
• Greek: λιθάργυρος (el) m (lithárgyros)

  Ancient: λιθάργυρος m (lithárguros)

• Persian: مرداسنگ (fa) sg (mordāsang)
• Spanish: litargirio m

Anagrams

• Gilreath, Iglehart, thirlage

French

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

litharge f (uncountable)

1. litharge

Further reading

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