"copperas" meaning in English

See copperas in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

Forms: copperases [plural], coperas [alternative], copperose [alternative]
Etymology: From Middle English coperas, coperose (“any metallic sulfate”), from Medieval Latin cuprosa directly or via Old French coperose, from Medieval Latin aqua cuprosa (“cupreous water”), from Latin cuprum (“copper”) + -osa (“-ose: forming related adjectives”). Fanciful derivations from cupreous terms involving Latin rosa (“rose”) are mistaken. Etymology templates: {{inh|en|enm|coperas}} Middle English coperas, {{der|en|ML.|cuprosa}} Medieval Latin cuprosa, {{der|en|fro|coperose}} Old French coperose, {{der|en|ML.|aqua cuprosa||cupreous water}} Medieval Latin aqua cuprosa (“cupreous water”), {{der|en|la|cuprum||copper}} Latin cuprum (“copper”), {{cog|la|rosa||rose}} Latin rosa (“rose”) Head templates: {{en-noun|-|+}} copperas (usually uncountable, plural copperases)
  1. (historical, inexact) Any of various metallic sulphates formed from the reaction of sulfur with iron, zinc, or copper, especially (alchemy) solutions of such compounds misunderstood as a mediator or catalyst for the transmutation of iron into copper &c. Tags: historical, uncountable, usually Translations (inexact term for various metallic sulfates): χάλκανθον (khálkanthon) (Ancient Greek), copperas (French), Vitriol [neuter] (German), copparosa (Italian), chalcanthum (Latin), caparrosa [feminine] (Portuguese), caparrosa [feminine] (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-copperas-en-noun-dKctrr9Z Categories (other): Alchemy, English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Ancient Greek translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Latin translations, Terms with Portuguese translations, Terms with Spanish translations, Inorganic compounds, Sulfur Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 93 7 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 87 13 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 89 11 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 94 6 Disambiguation of Terms with Ancient Greek translations: 81 19 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 92 8 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 89 11 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 91 9 Disambiguation of Terms with Latin translations: 91 9 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 90 10 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 95 5 Disambiguation of Inorganic compounds: 94 6 Disambiguation of Sulfur: 100 0 Disambiguation of 'inexact term for various metallic sulfates': 87 13
  2. (archaic) Synonym of iron(II) sulfate. Tags: archaic, uncountable, usually Synonyms: iron(II) sulfate [synonym, synonym-of]
    Sense id: en-copperas-en-noun-L2j3yCVl Categories (other): Iron Disambiguation of Iron: 42 58
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: blue copperas, green copperas, white copperas, yellow copperas

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "blue copperas"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "green copperas"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "white copperas"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "yellow copperas"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
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      "args": {
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    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ML.",
        "3": "cuprosa"
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      "expansion": "Medieval Latin cuprosa",
      "name": "der"
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    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "coperose"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French coperose",
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    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ML.",
        "3": "aqua cuprosa",
        "4": "",
        "5": "cupreous water"
      },
      "expansion": "Medieval Latin aqua cuprosa (“cupreous water”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "cuprum",
        "4": "",
        "5": "copper"
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      "expansion": "Latin cuprum (“copper”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "la",
        "2": "rosa",
        "3": "",
        "4": "rose"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin rosa (“rose”)",
      "name": "cog"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English coperas, coperose (“any metallic sulfate”), from Medieval Latin cuprosa directly or via Old French coperose, from Medieval Latin aqua cuprosa (“cupreous water”), from Latin cuprum (“copper”) + -osa (“-ose: forming related adjectives”). Fanciful derivations from cupreous terms involving Latin rosa (“rose”) are mistaken.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "copperases",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "coperas",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "copperose",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
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        {
          "ref": "1646, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica, Book 6, Chapter XII: \"A Digression Concerning Blacknesse\", p. 336",
          "text": "The ſecond way whereby bodies become blacke, is an Atramentous condition or mixture, that is a vitriolate or copperoſe quality conjoyning with a terreſtrious and aſtringent humidity, for ſo is Atramentum ſcriptorium, or writing Inke commonly made, by copperoſe caſt upon decoction or infuſion of galls... now artificiall copperoſe... is a rough and acrimonious kinde of salt drawne out of ferreous and eruginous earths, partaking chiefly of Iron and Copper, the blew of copper, the green moſt of Iron..."
        },
        {
          "ref": "1728, E. Chambers, Cyclopaedia, s.v. \"Copperas\"",
          "text": "There is a Copperas of England, of Pisa, Germany, Cyprus, Hungary, and Italy, which only differ from each other in Colour and Perfection... The English Copperas is of a fine green; that of Cyprus and Hungary a sky-blue."
        }
      ],
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          "&c."
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        "(historical, inexact) Any of various metallic sulphates formed from the reaction of sulfur with iron, zinc, or copper, especially (alchemy) solutions of such compounds misunderstood as a mediator or catalyst for the transmutation of iron into copper &c."
      ],
      "tags": [
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        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "grc",
          "lang": "Ancient Greek",
          "lang_code": "grc",
          "roman": "khálkanthon",
          "sense": "inexact term for various metallic sulfates",
          "word": "χάλκανθον"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "lang_code": "fr",
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          "word": "copperas"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "lang_code": "de",
          "sense": "inexact term for various metallic sulfates",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "Vitriol"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "lang_code": "it",
          "sense": "inexact term for various metallic sulfates",
          "word": "copparosa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "lang_code": "la",
          "sense": "inexact term for various metallic sulfates",
          "word": "chalcanthum"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "lang_code": "pt",
          "sense": "inexact term for various metallic sulfates",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "caparrosa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 13",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "lang_code": "es",
          "sense": "inexact term for various metallic sulfates",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "caparrosa"
        }
      ]
    },
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          "text": "It were superfluous to describe the Process of making the Aqua fortis; it shall suffice to let you know, that our common Coperas makes this Aquafortis well enough for our purpose[…]",
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          "text": "[…] what a change has introduced itself everywhere into human affairs! How human affairs shall now circulate everywhere not healthy life-blood in them, but, as it were, a detestable copperas banker’s ink;",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
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        "Synonym of iron(II) sulfate."
      ],
      "id": "en-copperas-en-noun-L2j3yCVl",
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          "iron(II) sulfate#English"
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  ],
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  "word": "copperas"
}
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      "word": "blue copperas"
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        },
        {
          "ref": "1728, E. Chambers, Cyclopaedia, s.v. \"Copperas\"",
          "text": "There is a Copperas of England, of Pisa, Germany, Cyprus, Hungary, and Italy, which only differ from each other in Colour and Perfection... The English Copperas is of a fine green; that of Cyprus and Hungary a sky-blue."
        }
      ],
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        "Any of various metallic sulphates formed from the reaction of sulfur with iron, zinc, or copper, especially (alchemy) solutions of such compounds misunderstood as a mediator or catalyst for the transmutation of iron into copper &c."
      ],
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      "qualifier": "inexact",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(historical, inexact) Any of various metallic sulphates formed from the reaction of sulfur with iron, zinc, or copper, especially (alchemy) solutions of such compounds misunderstood as a mediator or catalyst for the transmutation of iron into copper &c."
      ],
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          "ref": "1707, J[ohn] Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry; or, The Way of Managing and Improving of Land. […], London: […] J[ohn] H[umphreys] for H[enry] Mortlock […], and J[onathan] Robinson […], →OCLC:",
          "text": "It were superfluous to describe the Process of making the Aqua fortis; it shall suffice to let you know, that our common Coperas makes this Aquafortis well enough for our purpose[…]",
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          "ref": "1843 April, Thomas Carlyle, “ch. 6, Monk Samson”, in Past and Present, American edition, Boston, Mass.: Charles C[offin] Little and James Brown, published 1843, →OCLC, book II (The Ancient Monk):",
          "text": "[…] what a change has introduced itself everywhere into human affairs! How human affairs shall now circulate everywhere not healthy life-blood in them, but, as it were, a detestable copperas banker’s ink;",
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  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "grc",
      "lang": "Ancient Greek",
      "lang_code": "grc",
      "roman": "khálkanthon",
      "sense": "inexact term for various metallic sulfates",
      "word": "χάλκανθον"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "lang_code": "fr",
      "sense": "inexact term for various metallic sulfates",
      "word": "copperas"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "inexact term for various metallic sulfates",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "Vitriol"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "lang_code": "it",
      "sense": "inexact term for various metallic sulfates",
      "word": "copparosa"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "lang_code": "la",
      "sense": "inexact term for various metallic sulfates",
      "word": "chalcanthum"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "lang_code": "pt",
      "sense": "inexact term for various metallic sulfates",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "caparrosa"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "lang_code": "es",
      "sense": "inexact term for various metallic sulfates",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "caparrosa"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "copperas"
  ],
  "word": "copperas"
}

Download raw JSONL data for copperas meaning in English (6.9kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-08-28 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-08-05 using wiktextract (872fc7b and 4deed51). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.