4:2 Alchemy

When and Where Did I Find It: I came across this word while reading Laurie Halse Anderson's "Catalyst" for a class assignment. It was used as the title of one of the chapters in the book.

What It Means: I retrieved this definition from http://www.dictionary.com/. Alchemy is a form of chemistry and speculative philosophy practiced in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. However, another was alchemy can be used is to describe any magical power or process of transmuting a common substance, usually of little value, into a substance of great value.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/alchemy

 

Level of Familarity: I have never seen or used this word before.

Do I Think Others Should Know This Word Well..if So who and Why? Unless you are involved in science and chemistry, I do not think it would be an important term for others to become familiar with.

Do I Want to Know This Word Well and Why? I was very interested in learning how this word would be defined when I saw it as the title of chapter five. Now that I know the definition, I find it highly unlikely that I will use it again.