# aqua regia

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɑː.kwə ˈɹeɪ.ɡi.ə/

## Definitions
1. A mixture of three parts concentrated hydrochloric acid to one part concentrated nitric acid, named for its ability to dissolve gold.

## Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin aqua rēgia (literally “royal water”), so named because it is one of the few solvents capable of dissolving noble metals.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/aqua-regia