French word

alambic

Pronunciation

IPA/alɑ̃bik/

Meaning

  • masculine nounstill

Example

Nous avons vu un alambic dans le musée.

We saw a still in the museum.

Illustration for alambic (still)

More examples

Elle garde un petit alambic comme objet de décoration dans la cuisine.

She keeps a small still as a decorative object in the kitchen.

Core concept

A still that turns a liquid into vapor, then cools the vapor into collected drops.

Similar words

appareil: A device or piece of equipment with various functions for household or industrial use.
récipient: A container for holding liquids or other materials.

Definition in French

Instrument de laboratoire ou artisanal utilisé pour transformer un liquide en vapeur puis récupérer le distillat par condensation.

Word origin

French alambic comes through Arabic al-anbīq and Latin alambicus from Greek ambix, meaning a cup or vessel.

Usage tips

  • Alambic is masculine, so the usual form is un alambic, not une alambic.

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