ARSENIC

Arsenic:

• Pronunciation: ‘ärs-nik, -s&n-ik
• Function: noun
• Etymology: Middle English, yellow orpiment, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, from Latin arsenicum, from Greek arsenikon, arrhenikon, from Syriac zarnIg, of Iranian origin; akin to Avestan zaranya gold, Sanskrit hari yellowish – more at YELLOW

1. a trivalent and pentavalent solid poisonous element that is commonly metallic steel-gray, crystalline, and brittle – see ELEMENT table
2. a poisonous trioxide As2O3 or As4O6 of arsenic used especially as an insecticide or weed killer – called also arsenic trioxide