noun
- a hypothetical universal solvent sought by alchemists that could dissolve any substance
Usage: archaic; historical; also spelled 'alcahest' or 'alkahest'
Examples
- Medieval alchemists spent centuries searching for the alkahest, believing it could transform base metals into gold.
- The alkahest remained forever out of reach, a symbol of the alchemists' impossible dreams.
- No substance could withstand the alkahest in alchemical theory.
- The legend of the alkahest inspired countless experiments in early chemistry.