crucible

crucible
crucible early 15c., from M.L. crucibulum "melting pot for metals," originally "night lamp." First element might be M.H.G. kruse "earthen pot." Or perhaps from L. crux on some fancied resemblance to a cross. Used of any severe test or trial since 1640s.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Crucible — Cru ci*ble (kr[udd] s[i^]*b l), n. [LL. crucibulum a hanging lamp, an earthen pot for melting metals (cf. OF. croisel, creuseul, sort of lamp, crucible, F. creuset crucible), prob. of German origin; cf. OHG. kr[=u]sul, LG. kr[ u]sel, hanging lamp …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • crucible — ► NOUN 1) a container in which metals or other substances may be melted or subjected to very high temperatures. 2) a situation of severe trial, or in which different elements interact to produce something new. ORIGIN Latin crucibulum night lamp,… …   English terms dictionary

  • crucible — [kro͞o′sə bəl] n. [ML crucibulum, lamp, crucible, prob. < Gmc, as in OE cruce, pot, jug, MHG kruse, earthen pot (see CRUSE) + L suffix ibulum (as in thuribulum, censer), but assoc. by folk etym. with L crux, CROSS, as if lamp burning before… …   English World dictionary

  • Crucible — Crucible, The a play by Arthur ↑Miller which describes how innocent women were charged with being ↑witches and cruelly punished by a court of law in ↑Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. This play was written in 1953 to show how similar the Salem Witch… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Crucible — For other uses, see Crucible (disambiguation). A modern crucible used in the production of silicon ingots via the Czochralski process A crucible is a container used for metal, glass, and pigment production as well as a number of modern laboratory …   Wikipedia

  • Crucible — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Crucible est le nom  : du deuxième album studio du groupe de Heavy Metal américain Halford : Crucible d un groupe américain de néo prog :… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • crucible — [[t]kru͟ːsɪb(ə)l[/t]] crucibles 1) N COUNT A crucible is a pot in which metals or other substances can be melted or heated up to very high temperatures. 2) N SING: oft N of n Crucible is used to refer to a situation in which something is tested… …   English dictionary

  • crucible — [ kru:sɪb(ə)l] noun 1》 a container in which metals or other substances may be melted or subjected to very high temperatures. 2》 a situation in which people or things are severely tested, often interacting to produce something new: a relationship… …   English new terms dictionary

  • crucible — UK [ˈkruːsəb(ə)l] / US [ˈkrusəb(ə)l] noun [countable] Word forms crucible : singular crucible plural crucibles 1) science a container used for heating substances or melting metals at very high temperatures 2) an environment that is very dangerous …   English dictionary

  • crucible — noun Etymology: Middle English corusible, from Medieval Latin crucibulum earthen pot for melting metals Date: 15th century 1. a vessel of a very refractory material (as porcelain) used for melting and calcining a substance that requires a high… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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