chemist
(ˈkɛmɪst, ˈkɪmɪst)
Forms: 6–7 chimist, 6–9 chymist, 8– chemist.
[16th c. chimist, a. F. chimiste, ad. mod.L. chimista, chymista, used instead of the earlier alchimista, after the latter began to be analysed, and the Arabic al- separated from the rest of the word. Commonly written chemist since c 1790 (see chemic), though, in sense 4, ‘chymist’ is still occasionally seen.]
† 1. = alchemist. Obs.
| 1562 W. Bullein Bk. Simples 69 a, The Chymistes or Distillers of Waters. 1576 Baker Jewell of Health I. i. 1 The Chymistes doe terme the same both the Chymick and chimistick Arte. 1614 T. Adams Divell's Banq. 83 Like a Chimist, he turnes euery thing into siluer. a 1612 Harington Epigr. (1633) ii. 33 An Alcumist, That's all too much. Chimist you might him call And I think it were true, and leave out Al. c 1650 Cowley Reason Misc., Like senseless Chymists their own wealth destroy, Imaginary gold t' enjoy. 1732 Pope Ess. Man ii. 269 The starving Chymist in his golden views Supremely blest. |
† 2. A physician who followed the method of Paracelsus. (Cf. chemiatric.) Obs.
| 1614 Raleigh Hist. World i. vi. §1. 1616 Bullokar Eng. Expos., Chymist, a Physition following the method of Paracelsus. |
3. One versed in the science of chemistry; one who makes chemical investigations.
| 1626 Bacon Sylva §98 The industry of the Chymists..discerning by their separations, the Oily, Crude, Pure, Impure, Fine, Gross, Parts of Bodies. 1663 Butler Hud. i. ii. 227 Strange Hermetick Powder..By skilful Chymist with great Cost Extracted from a Rotten Post. 1765 A. Dickson Treat. Agric. 16 Things to which these names are given by the chymists. 1799 Med. Jrnl. I. 249 On the Experiments made by the English Chemist Mayow, towards the End of the seventeenth Century. 1811 A. T. Thomson Lond. Disp. (1818) 433 The endeavours of all the most eminent chemists to ascertain the components of muriatic acid. 1879 Rutley Rocks 4 We can have the materials analysed by a chemist. |
4. popularly and commercially. One who deals in medicinal drugs. (Not in U.S.; in Scotland also, druggist is the ordinary term.)
In Great Britain, the use of the terms chemist-and-druggist and pharmaceutical chemist is now regulated by the Pharmacy Acts of 1852, 1868, 1869; a pharmaceutical chemist (pharmaceutist, pharmacist) is a person who has passed the higher examination of the Pharmaceutical Society, which qualifies for membership, under the provisions of section 10 of the act of 1852; a chemist and druggist is a person who has passed the minor examination under the provisions of section 6 of the act of 1868 (or who was actually in business when the act of 1868 was passed). No other person than these is legally entitled to use the name chemist (or druggist) in any connexion for trading purposes.
| [1745 De Foe's Eng. Tradesm. iv. (1841) I. 26, I have seen..an apothecary turn chemist.] 1802 Med. Jrnl. VIII. 248 May not the.. practice have arisen from..apothecaries vending drugs by retail, and so far interfering with the business of the chemist? a 1845 Barham Ingol. Leg., Lord of Thoulouse, The bottles of green and blue light Which you see in a chymist's shop-window at night. 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. iii. xvi, She arrived in the drug-flavoured region of Mincing Lane, with the sensation of having just opened a drawer in a chemist's shop. 1888 Chemists' & Druggists' Diary 142 Candidates must be either pharmaceutical chemists or chemists and druggists who were in business before the Act of 1868 was passed. Ibid. 102 Manufacturing, Pharmaceutical, and Analytical Chemists. |