copperas
noun
copperas is spelled C-O-P-P-E-R-A-S: 8 letters. It appears about once in every 12 million words in written English, the 105,204th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, copperas means “Any of various metallic sulphates formed from the reaction of sulfur with iron, zinc, or copper, especially (alchemy) solutions of such compounds…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of copperas is copperases.
How many letters and syllables are in copperas?
| Letters | 8: C-O-P-P-E-R-A-S |
|---|---|
| In writing | about once in every 12 million words; the 105,204th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is copperas?
Copperas appears about once in every 12 million words in written English, the 105,204th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
Forms of copperas
- copperases plural
- coperas
- copperose
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does copperas mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
Any of various metallic sulphates formed from the reaction of sulfur with iron, zinc, or copper, especially (alchemy) solutions of such compounds misunderstood as a mediator or catalyst for the transmutation of iron into copper &c.
The ſecond way whereby bodies become blacke, is an Atramentous condition or mixture, that is a vitriolate or copperoſe quality conjoyning with a terreſtrious and aſtringent humidity, for ſo is Atramentum ſcriptorium, or writing Inke commonl
- 2
archaicSynonym of iron(II) sulfate.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Copperas in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense inexact term for various metallic sulfates:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | copperas |
| German | Vitriol |
| Portuguese | caparrosa |
| Spanish | caparrosa |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does copperas come from?
From Middle English coperas, coperose (“any metallic sulfate”), from Medieval Latin cuprosa directly or via Old French coperose, from Medieval Latin aqua cuprosa (“cupreous water”), from Latin cuprum (“copper”) + -osa (“-ose: forming related adjectives”). Fanciful derivations from cupreous terms involving Latin rosa (“rose”) are mistaken.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).