azoth means the first principle of metals, that is, mercury, which was formerly supposed to exist in all metals, and to be extractable from them. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 92 out of 100.
azoth is pronounced /ˈɑːzɒθ/.
Why “azoth” is a great word
AZOTH — [Noun] The alchemical first principle of metals, specifically quicksilver, conceived as a universal solvent and the essential, animating agent of all material transformation. From Andalusian Arabic الزُّوق (az-zūq), from Arabic الزَّاوُوق (az-zāwūq, "quicksilver, mercury"). Unlike "mercury," which denotes a tangible, toxic element, or "elixir," which promises a perfected cure, azoth is the raw, primal potentiality hidden within all substance—the seed of change itself. It is the silvery bead trembling in the crucible’s heart, the volatile spirit rising in the retort, and the hypothetical river whose current could dissolve the fixed nature of lead into solar gold. This is the alchemist's restless dream of a universe merely paused, awaiting the correct word to flow into perfection.
noun
- The first principle of metals, that is, mercury, which was formerly supposed to exist in all metals, and to be extractable from them.
- The universal remedy of Paracelsus.