ALCHEMY

alchemy

(noun) a pseudoscientific forerunner of chemistry in medieval times

chemistry, interpersonal chemistry, alchemy

(noun) the way two individuals relate to each other; “their chemistry was wrong from the beginning -- they hated each other”; “a mysterious alchemy brought them together”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

alchemy (countable and uncountable, plural alchemies)

(uncountable) The ancient search for a universal panacea, and of the philosopher's stone, that eventually developed into chemistry.

(countable) The causing of any sort of mysterious sudden transmutation.

(computing, slang, countable) Any elaborate transformation process or algorithm.

Source: Wiktionary

Al"che*my, n. Etym: [OF. alkemie, arquemie, F. alchimie, Ar. al- kimia, fr. late Gr. alquimia, It. alchimia. Gr. fundere to pour, Goth. guitan, AS. geótan, to pour, and so to E. fuse. See Fuse, and cf. Chemistry.]

1. An imaginary art which aimed to transmute the baser metals into gold, to find the panacea, or universal remedy for diseases, etc. It led the way to modern chemistry.

2. A mixed metal composed mainly of brass, formerly used for various utensils; hence, a trumpet. [Obs.] Put to their mouths the sounding alchemy. Milton.

3. Miraculous power of transmuting something common into something precious. Kissing with golden face the meadows green, Gilding pale streams with heavenly alchemy. Shak.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition