called also arsenic trioxide
Examples of arsenic in a Sentence
Christine Pelisek, Peoplemag, 13 Aug. 2023
The mechanisms by which arsenic causes cancer are complex and not yet fully understood.
—Cristina Andrade-Feraud, The Conversation, 5 June 2023
As at Oasis, the EPA has issued an emergency order to the owners of the park where Galvez lives after finding high levels of arsenic in the drinking water — the chemical occurs naturally in the region’s groundwater.
—Paloma Esquivel, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2023
Consumer Reports recommends the FDA set a goal of no measurable amounts of cadmium, lead, or inorganic arsenic in children’s food.
—Bailey Schulz, USA TODAY, 1 July 2023
In Hopi communities, many people have tap water contaminated with toxic arsenic.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2023
People who live in areas with naturally high levels of arsenic in the soil and water are at particular risk.
—Cristina Andrade-Feraud, The Conversation, 5 June 2023
The origin of the arsenic remains unanswered, but in the 19th century the poison was used widely; it could be found in wallpaper, beauty products and even medicine.
—Samantha Baskind, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Apr. 2023
If sargassum isn’t cleaned from beaches or is used as fertilizer, the arsenic in its flesh could leach out into groundwater, which could be a health hazard for humans, Lapointe said.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 18 Mar. 2023
Jack Nicas Ian Cheibub, New York Times, 22 Sep. 2023
Depletion of the Lake has already exposed, and will continue to expose, lakebed
sediments that consist of fine-scale dust containing arsenic, mercury, nickel, lead, and other
pollutants toxic to humans.
—Leia Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 6 Sep. 2023
This means future homes may have to spring for arsenic filters to ensure drinking water is safe for consumption.
—Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, 1 Sep. 2023
As a result, the soil at the hospital and throughout the surrounding neighborhood is heavily contaminated with copper, cobalt, lead, zinc, and arsenic.
—Roger Peet, The New Republic, 30 Aug. 2023
The technology exists to filter out arsenic from drinking water, Dr. Smith said.
—Mira Rojanasakul, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2023
Toxic heavy metals in drinking water, such as arsenic, lead, and mercury, also pose huge health risks.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Aug. 2023
Some of the other items that can be found in floodwater include coal ash waste that can contain carcinogenic compounds such as arsenic, chromium and mercury; debris, lumber or vehicles; and wild or stray animals such as rodents and snakes.
—Timothy Bella, Washington Post, 21 Aug. 2023
The Hawaii State Department of Health was asking those who have been allowed to return to Lahaina to exercise caution due to toxic ash and chemicals such as asbestos, arsenic, lead and debris.
—Faris Tanyos, CBS News, 15 Aug. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'arsenic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Noun
Middle English arsenek, arsenic "any of various compounds of arsenic, as yellow orpiment (arsenic trisulfide)," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French arsenik, arsneke, borrowed from Latin arrhenicum, arsenicon, borrowed from Greek arsenikón, arrhenikón, probably borrowed from Aramaic zarnīḵ "arsenic" or a cognate Semitic word, borrowed from an unattested form in a Middle Iranian language (whence Persian zarnī, zarnīk "orpiment, arsenic"), a derivative of the word for "gold" (as Manichaean Parthian zrn /zarn/ "gold," zrnyn /zarnēn/ "golden"), alluding to the yellow color of orpiment
Note: The Greek word is assumed to have been reshaped by folk-etymological association with arsenikós, arrhenikós "male, masculine." Aramaic zarnīḵ is attested in a papyrus text (an order to repair a boat) dated January, 411 b.c., found in elephantine, Egypt (see A. Cowley, Aramaic Papyri of the Fifth Century B.C., Oxford, 1923, pp. 88-97; B. Porten, The Elephantine Papyri in English: Three Millennia of Cross-Cultural Continuity and Change, Brill, 1996, pp. 115-22); the word is also attested in Syriac a number of centuries later. The Manichaean Parthian forms are from D. Durkin-Meisterernst, Dictionary of Manichaean Texts, vol. III, Part 1, Dictionary of Manichaean Middle Persian and Parthian, Brepols, 2004. Parthian zrn and zrnyn are continuations of an Old Iranian etymon represented by Avestan zarańiia- "gold"—see note at gold entry 1.
Adjective
from attributive or compound use of arsenic entry 1
Dictionary Entries Near arsenic
Cite this Entry
“Arsenic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arsenic. Accessed 1 Oct. 2023.
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Kids Definition
arsenic
noun
Medical Definition
arsenic
1 of 2 noun
arsenic
2 of 2 adjective
More from Merriam-Webster on arsenic
Nglish: Translation of arsenic for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about arsenic
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