marcasite Min.
(ˈmɑːkəsaɪt)
Also 5 markasit, 5–8 marchasite, 6 -it, marcazite, 6–7 -quesit(e, 7 -quisat(e, merquisate, marchesit(e, -gasite, 7–8 -casit, -c(h)assite, 8 -kasite. Also in mod.L. form 7–8 marcasites, (7 margasites).
[ad. med.L. marcasīta (whence F. marcassite, Sp. marquesita, It. marcassita, marchesita), app. formed with suffix L. -īta, Gr. -ῑ́της, -ite1.
The etymology is obscure, as the Arabic marqashīthā or marqashīṭā, often cited as the source, is probably adopted from some European language.]
1. Pyrites, esp. the crystallized forms of iron pyrites used in the 18th c. for ornaments; by some restricted to the arsenical varieties of pyrites; in recent use, white iron pyrites (iron disulphide).
For the vague notion attached to the word in pre-scientific chemistry, see quots. 1616 and 1727–52. The ‘marcasites’ of gold and silver seem to have been specimens of copper and iron pyrites with the lustre of gold and silver, and hence wrongly supposed to contain traces of those metals.
| 1471 Ripley Comp. Alch. Ep. i. in Ashm. (1652) 116 Our Marchasite, our Magnete, and our Lead. 1572 J. Jones Bathes of Bath ii. 20 Copper, Iron, and Marquesite. 1610 B. Jonson Alch. ii. iii, Your marchesite, your tutie, your magnesia. 1616 Bullokar Eng. Expos., Marchasite, a stone participating with the nature of some mettall, yet in so small quantity, that the mettall cannot be melted from it, but will vapour away in smoake, the stone turning to ashes. 1684 tr. Bonet's Merc. Compit. xix. 852 Glass of Antimony..is nothing but the meer Marchasite of Lead. 1695 Woodward Nat. Hist. Earth iv. 172 A common Marcasite or Pyrites shall have the Colour of Gold most exactly;..and yet..yield nothing of worth, but Vitriol, and a little Sulphur. 1727–52 Chambers Cycl., Marcasite, Marcasita, a sort of metallic mineral, supposed by many to be the seed or first matter of metals. On this principle, there should be as many different marcasites as metals... There are only three kinds in the shops, which are called, marcasite of gold, of silver, and of copper: though some repute the loadstone to be a marcasite of iron; bismuth, marcasite of tin; and zink, or spelter, marcasite of lead. a 1728 Woodward Fossils i. (1729) I. 172, I could never perceive any Arsenic in the Pyritæ; in which they differ from the Marcasits, most of which contain more or less of that Mineral. 1778 Woulfe in Phil. Trans. LXIX. 15 The Derbyshire and Eckton Cauk, which is commonly covered with copper marcassite. 1796 Kirwan Elem. Min. (ed. 2) II. 256 Arsenical Pyrites or Marcassite. 1836–41 Brande Chem. (ed. 5) 861 Bismuth was sometimes called Marcasite. 1844 Browning Colombe's Birthday i. 344 Yon gray urn's veritable marcasite, The Pope's gift. 1865 Watts Dict. Chem. III. 851 Marcasite, white Iron Pyrites. 1879 Rutley Study Rocks x. 157 Marcasite resembles pyrites, except that it crystallises in the rhombic system. |
| attrib. 1588 Lucar Colloq. Arte Shooting App. 17 The marchasite stone. 1601 Holland Pliny II. 558 It commeth of a certaine marquesit stone, wherupon also they call it Chalcitis. a 1728 Woodward Fossils i. (1729) I. 181 The Marcasite Grains are of a bright Yellow. |
2. A piece or specimen of marcasite; an ornament made of crystallized iron pyrites.
Formerly used for striking a light: cf. firestone 1.
| 1555 Eden Decades 115 margin, Marchasites are flowers of metals by the colours wherof the kyndes of metals are knowen. 1682 N. O. Boileau's Lutrin iii. 54 From his Pocket He takes his Marchasite, begins to knock it With hardned Steel, out springs an Active spark. 1773 Goldsm. Stoops to Conq. iii. i, Half the ladies of our acquaintance,..carry their jewels to town, and bring nothing but paste and marcasites back. 1877 W. Jones Finger-ring 307 Two hearts surmounted by a crown..set with marcasites. |
Hence marcaˈsital (rare—0), marcaˈsitical adjs., pertaining to or containing marcasite.
| 1670 Boyle Tracts Cosm. Qual. etc. iv. 21 A great quantity of marchasiticall Earth, if I may so call it. 1731 Bailey vol. II., Marcasital [ed. 1737 Marcasitical], of or pertaining to marcasites. 1779 Phil. Trans. LXIX. 30 On one side there was a slight marcasitical coating. |