a white powdered poisonous trioxide of arsenic; used in manufacturing glass and as a pesticide (rat poison) and weed killer
"The old farmer was found dead after accidentally drinking from a jar containing the white arsenic powder he had been using to kill rats around his barn."
a very poisonous metallic element that has three allotropic forms; arsenic and arsenic compounds are used as herbicides and insecticides and various alloys; found in arsenopyrite and orpiment and realgar
"The geologist identified the presence of arsenic in the rock sample, noting its potential use in creating durable alloys for industrial applications."
A nonmetallic chemical element (symbol As) with an atomic number of 33.
"The lab technician carefully measured out a tiny sample of arsenic to add to the periodic table display."
Of or containing arsenic with a valence of 5.
"The chemist carefully prepared an arsenate solution, noting that the compound contained arsenic in its +5 oxidation state."
The word arsenic comes from the Latin term for "yellow arsenic," which was influenced by an Ancient Greek word meaning "potent" or "virile." Its ultimate roots trace back to a Semitic language family, where it originally referred to the mineral itself.