athanor

noun

ath·​a·​nor

ˈathəˌnȯ(ə)r

plural -s

: a self-feeding digesting furnace that maintained a uniform and durable heat and was used by alchemists

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from (assumed) Medieval Latin, from Arabic at-tannūr the oven, from Aramaic tannūr oven

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!