menstruum

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: men=stru=um

CIDE DICTIONARY

menstruum, n. [L. menstruus. See Menstruous.].

 Any substance which dissolves a solid body; a solvent.  [1913 Webster]
" The use is supposed to have originated in some notion of the old chemists about the influence of the moon in the preparation of dissolvents."  Johnson.  [1913 Webster]
"The proper menstruum to dissolve metal."  [1913 Webster]
"All liquors are called menstruums which are used as dissolvents, or to extract the virtues of ingredients by infusion or decoction."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

menstruum, n. (pl. menstrua) a solvent.

Etymology

ME f. L, neut. of menstruus monthly f. mensis month f. the alchemical parallel between transmutation into gold and the supposed action of menses on the ovum

ROGET THESAURUS

menstruum

Liquefaction

N liquefaction, liquescence, liquescency, melting, colliquation, colliquefaction, thaw, liquation, deliquation, deliquescence, lixiviation, dissolution, solution, apozem, lixivium, infusion, flux, solvent, menstruum, alkahest, liquefied, liquescent, liquefiable, deliquescent, soluble, colliquative.