noun
- a hypothetical universal solvent sought by alchemists that could dissolve any substance
Usage: archaic; historical; also spelled 'alkahest'
Examples
- Medieval alchemists spent years searching for the alcahest, believing it could transform base metals into gold.
- The alcahest remained an impossible dream, never successfully created despite countless alchemical experiments.
- In alchemical texts, the alcahest was described as the ultimate chemical achievement.
- The concept of the alcahest reflects the alchemists' desire to understand and control matter itself.