Dictionary

elixir en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ɪˈlɪksə(ɹ)/
• /ə-/
• (US) audio
• /-ɪə(ɹ)/

Etymology

From Medieval Latin elixir (“philosopher's stone”), from Arabic اَلْإِكْسِير (al-ʔiksīr, “philosopher's stone”), from Ancient Greek ξηρίον (xēríon, “powder for drying wounds”), from ξηρός (xērós, “dry”).

Meanings

1. A liquid which converts lead to gold.
   • For Chinese alchemists, gold held the key to the Elixir, the Eastern equivalent of the Philosopher's Stone. 2002, Philip Ball, The Elements: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford, published 2004, page 59:
2. A substance or liquid which is believed to cure all ills and give eternal life.
3. (broadly) The alleged cure for all ailments; cure-all, panacea.
   • The silver-bullet cancer cures of yesterday’s newsmagazine covers, like interferon and angiogenesis inhibitors, disappointed the breathless expectations, as have elixirs such as antioxidants, Vioxx, and hormone replacement therapy. 2015 August 1, Steven Pinker, “The moral imperative for bioethics”, in The Boston Globe, archived from the original on 03 Dec 2015:
4. (qualifier:pharmacy) A sweet flavored liquid (usually containing a small amount of alcohol) used in compounding medicines to be taken by mouth in order to mask an unpleasant taste.
   • The subcommittee's report to the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry shows that the action of somnos is practically identical with that of a 5 per cent elixir of hydrated chloral. 1906, JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, volume 47, pages 872–875:

Forms

Deriveds

elixir proprietatis · elixirist · elixiric · elixirlike · elixir of life · elixir of vitriol · elixir vitae

Translations (76)

de Heilmittel (pharmacy: sweet taste-masking liquid) · el ελιξήριο (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · pl eliksir (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · ja エリキシル (pharmacy: sweet taste-masking liquid) · cmn 仙丹 (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · fi eliksiiri (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · el ελιξήριο (pharmacy: sweet taste-masking liquid) · cmn 萬能藥 /万能药 (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · ru эликси́р (alchemy: liquid which was believed to turn non-precious metals to gold) · da eliksir (pharmacy: sweet taste-masking liquid) · pt elixir (alchemy: liquid which was believed to turn non-precious metals to gold) · pt elixir (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · la elixir (pharmacy: sweet taste-masking liquid) · fi eliksiiri (pharmacy: sweet taste-masking liquid) · ru эликси́р (pharmacy: sweet taste-masking liquid) · hi अमृत (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · de Elixier (pharmacy: sweet taste-masking liquid) · ja 生き薬 (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · ar إِكْسِير (alchemy: liquid which was believed to turn non-precious metals to gold) · af alheilmiddel (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · nl elixer (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · da eliksir (alchemy: liquid which was believed to turn non-precious metals to gold) · ru панаце́я (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · da eliksir (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · tr iksir (alchemy: liquid which was believed to turn non-precious metals to gold) · fr élixir (pharmacy: sweet taste-masking liquid) · tr iksir (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · es elixir (alchemy: liquid which was believed to turn non-precious metals to gold) · ca elixir (alchemy: liquid which was believed to turn non-precious metals to gold) · ja エリクシル (pharmacy: sweet taste-masking liquid) · de Zaubertrunk (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · af elikser (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · ko 엘릭서 (alchemy: liquid which was believed to turn non-precious metals to gold) · tr iksir (pharmacy: sweet taste-masking liquid) · ja 生く薬 (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · it elisir (alchemy: liquid which was believed to turn non-precious metals to gold) · it elisir (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · ka ელექსირი (pharmacy: sweet taste-masking liquid) · nn eliksir (alchemy: liquid which was believed to turn non-precious metals to gold) · nb eliksir (pharmacy: sweet taste-masking liquid) · kk сиқырлы сусын (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · de Elixier (alchemy: liquid which was believed to turn non-precious metals to gold) · ja エリクサー (alchemy: liquid which was believed to turn non-precious metals to gold) · cmn 鍊金藥 /炼金药 (alchemy: liquid which was believed to turn non-precious metals to gold) · ka ელექსირი (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · fa اکسیر (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · bg еликси́р (alchemy: liquid which was believed to turn non-precious metals to gold) · de Heilmittel (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · pt elixir (pharmacy: sweet taste-masking liquid) · lt eliksyras (pharmacy: sweet taste-masking liquid) · af panasee (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · es elíxir (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · ja 万能薬 (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · ka ელექსირი (alchemy: liquid which was believed to turn non-precious metals to gold) · de Elixier (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · nb eliksir (alchemy: liquid which was believed to turn non-precious metals to gold) · nn eliksir (pharmacy: sweet taste-masking liquid) · ru эликси́р (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · fi eliksiiri (alchemy: liquid which was believed to turn non-precious metals to gold) · gd ìocshlaint (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · es elíxir (alchemy: liquid which was believed to turn non-precious metals to gold) · nn eliksir (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · es elixir (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · nb eliksir (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · cmn 酏劑 /酏剂 (pharmacy: sweet taste-masking liquid) · nl elixer (pharmacy: sweet taste-masking liquid) · el ελιξήριο (alchemy: liquid which was believed to turn non-precious metals to gold) · af elikser (pharmacy: sweet taste-masking liquid) · la elixirium (pharmacy: sweet taste-masking liquid) · lt eliksyras (alchemy: liquid which was believed to turn non-precious metals to gold) · af elikser (alchemy: liquid which was believed to turn non-precious metals to gold) · it elisir (pharmacy: sweet taste-masking liquid) · gd brìgh (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · bg еликси́р (liquid which is believed to cure all ills) · hu elixír (alchemy: liquid which was believed to turn non-precious metals to gold) · hu elixír (liquid which is believed to cure all ills)