Lexic.us

Definition of Phlogiston

1. Noun. A hypothetical substance once believed to be present in all combustible materials and to be released during burning.

Definition of Phlogiston

1. n. The hypothetical principle of fire, or inflammability, regarded by Stahl as a chemical element.

Definition of Phlogiston

1. Noun. (context: chemistry historical) The hypothetical fiery principle formerly assumed to be a necessary constituent of combustible bodies and to be given up by them in burning. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Phlogiston

1. [n -S]

Medical Definition of Phlogiston

1. The hypothetical principle of fire, or inflammability, regarded by Stahl as a chemical element. This was supposed to be united with combustible (phlogisticated) bodies and to be separated from incombustible (dephlogisticated) bodies, the phenomena of flame and burning being the escape of phlogiston. Soot and sulphur were regarded as nearly pure phlogiston. The essential principle of this theory was, that combustion was a decomposition rather than the union and combination which it has since been shown to be. Origin: NL, fr. Gr. Burnt, set on fire, fr. To set on fire, to burn, fr, a flame, blaze. See Phlox. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Phlogiston

Literary usage of Phlogiston

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The Works of Tennyson by Alfred Tennyson Tennyson, Hallam Tennyson Tennyson (1908)
"By phlogiston Stahl meant, not fire itself, but " the material and principle of ... Everything which can burn does so by virtue of its holding phlogiston, ..."

2. The Cambridge Modern History by John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton Acton, Ernest Alfred Benians, Sir Adolphus William Ward, George Walter Prothero (1908)
"By phlogiston Stahl meant, not fire itself, but " the material and principle of ... Everything which can burn does so by virtue of its holding phlogiston, ..."

3. Cavendish by Christa Jungnickel, Russell McCormmach (1996)
"phlogiston entered Stahl's explanation of not only combustion but of acidity, alkalinity, chemical combination, and even colors and smells. ..."

4. Cavendish by Christa Jungnickel, Russell McCormmach (1996)
""The only difference" between the two, he said, is that the acid "is more thoroughly deprived of its phlogiston."39 Identifying arsenic with other "metallic ..."

5. The Physiologia of Jean Fernel (1567) by Jean Fernel (2003)
"In the reigning phlogistic view, metals and other combustibles contained an inflammable principle called phlogiston, whose presence was directly responsible ..."

6. Principles of Inorganic Chemistry by Harry Clary Jones (1906)
"It was termed phlogiston, and the theory, the phlogiston theory of combustion. According to this theory when a substance burned it gave off phlogiston, ..."

7. History of Chemistry by Thomas Edward Thorpe (1909)
"When a candle burns, its phlogiston is transferred to the air; if burned in a limited supply of air, combustion ceases, because the air becomes saturated ..."

8. Principles of Inorganic Chemistry by Harry Clary Jones (1903)
"It was termed phlogiston, and the theory, the phlogiston theory of combustion. According to this theory when a substance burned it gave off phlogiston, ..."

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