cupel

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle)
• HYPHEN: cu=pel

CIDE DICTIONARY

cupel, n. [LL. cupella cup (cf. L. cupella, small cask, dim. of cupa) : cf. F. coupelle. See Cup, and cf. Coblet.].

 A shallow porous cup, used in refining precious metals, commonly made of bone ashes (phosphate of lime).  [1913 Webster]

Cupel dust, powder used in purifying metals.

cupel, v. t. 

 To refine by means of a cupel.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

cupel, n. & v.
--n. a small flat porous vessel used in assaying gold or silver in the presence of lead.
--v.tr. (cupelled, cupelling; US cupeled, cupeling) assay or refine in a cupel.

Derivative

cupellation n.

Etymology

F coupelle f. LL cupella dimin. of cupa: see CUP