# arsenic

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɑː(ɹ).sə.nɪk/ · frequency rank #21,443

## Definitions
1. A toxic grey brittle nonmetallic chemical element (symbol As) with an atomic number of 33.
2. A single atom of this element.
3. Arsenic trioxide.

## Etymology
From Middle English arsenik, borrowed from Middle French arsenic, from Latin arsenicum, from Ancient Greek ἀρσενικόν (arsenikón, “yellow arsenic”) (influenced by ἀρσενικός (arsenikós, “potent, virile”)), from Semitic (compare Classical Syriac ܙܪܢܝܟܐ (zarnīḵā), Aramaic 𐡆𐡓𐡍𐡉𐡊𐡀 (zrnykʾ /⁠zarnīḵā⁠/)), from Middle Iranian *zarnīk (compare Persian زرنیخ (zirnīx /zernix, zarnīx /zarnix, “arsenic”), زرنی (zurnī /zorni), Bakhtiari زرنیق (zarniq)), from Old Median *zaraniyakā (compare Avestan 𐬰𐬀𐬭𐬀𐬥𐬌𐬌𐬀 (zaraniia, “golden”), Old Persian 𐎭𐎼𐎴𐎡𐎹 (d-r-n-i-y /⁠daraniya-⁠⁠⁠/, “gold”), Sanskrit हिरण्य (híraṇya, “gold”), Persian زر (zar, “gold”)), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰelh₃-. More at yellow.

## Easily confused with
- **arsenal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/arsenal-vs-arsenic)
- **Armenia** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/armenia-vs-arsenic)

## Common misspellings (10)
`aresnic`, `arrsenic`, `arseinc`, `arsenci`, `arsenicc`, `arsennic`, `arsneic`, `arssenic`, `asrenic`, `rasenic`

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