azech

Old Spanish

FWOTD – 9 December 2015

Etymology

Borrowed from Andalusian Arabic, from Arabic زَاج (zāj, “metal sulphate, vitriol”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aˈd͡zet͡ʃ/ (apocopic form)

Noun

azech m (plural azeches)

1. any of several metallic sulfates with distinct properties; vitriol
   • c. 1250, Alfonso X, Lapidario, f. 42v:

     DEl ſeteno grado del ſigno de uirgo, es la piedra a que llamã azech. Esta es de .iiij. maneras. / Ala primera dizen çori / Ala ſegunda calcatar. / Ala tercera calcadiz, ⁊ ala quarta calcant.

     Of the seventh degree of the sign of Virgo is the stone they call vitriol. It takes four forms: the first they call çori, the second calcatar, the third calcadiz and the fourth calcant.

   • Idem, 43v.

     Et eſte azech es limpio ⁊ claro de color, ⁊ mas peſado que los otros azeches. pero a parte cõ todos ellos en las p̃priedades que an […]

     And this vitriol is clean and of a light color, and it is heavier than other vitriols, but it shares with them all their properties […]

Descendants

• Spanish: aceche