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Webster 1913 Edition

Turpeth

Tur′peth

,
Noun.
[NL.
turpethum
, fr. Per.
tirbid
a cathartic,
turbad
a purgative root. Cf.
Turbith
.]
[Written also
turbeth
, and
turbith
.]
1.
(Bot.)
The root of
Ipomœa Turpethum
, a plant of Ceylon, Malabar, and Australia, formerly used in medicine as a purgative; – sometimes called
vegetable turpeth
.
2.
(Chem.)
A heavy yellow powder,
Hg3O2SO4
, which consists of a basic mercuric sulphate; – called also
turpeth mineral
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Turpeth

TUR'PETH

,
Noun.
A root brought from the East Indies, particularly from Cambaya, Surat and Goa, or from Ceylon. It is the cortical part of the root of a species of Convolvulus. That sold in the shops is a longish root, of the thickness of the finger, resinous, heavy, and of a brownish hue without, but whitish within. It is cathartic.
Turbith or turpeth mineral, is the yellow precipitate of mercury, called sometimes yellow subsulphate of mercury, or subdeutosulphate.

Definition 2024

turpeth

turpeth

English

Noun

turpeth ‎(uncountable)

  1. Operculina turpethum, a plant in the morning glory family.
  2. (chemistry, obsolete) A heavy yellow powder with chemical formula Hg3O2SO4.

Etymology

Ultimately from Persian.

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