a. and sb. Forms: 4–5 armoniak, -yac, 4–8 -iac, 5 -yak(e, ammonyak, amoniak, 7 -ac, 7–8 armoniack(e, ammoniack(e, 7– ammoniac. [a. Fr. ammoniac, armoniac, ad. L. ammōniac-um, a. Gr. ἀμμωνιακόν, belonging to Ammon or Ammonia, applied subst. to a salt, and a gum, both obtained from the Libyan region of Ammonia near the shrine of Jupiter Ammon; f. Ἄμμων, Gr. form of the name of the Egyptian Deity Amûn. The corruption to armoniac found in med.L., Fr., and Eng. was perh. due to an association with the Gr. ἁρμονία fastening or joining, from the use of gum ammoniac as a cement, or of sal ammoniac in the joining of metals.]
A. adj.
1. in Sal Ammoniac (L. sal ammoniacus, Fr. sel ammoniac) i.e., Salt of Ammon, a hard white opaque crystalline salt, supposed to have been originally prepared from the dung of camels near the temple of Jupiter Ammon, as it still is in Egypt; chemically Ammonium Chloride NH4 Cl, formerly called Muriate of Ammonia; used in tinning iron, in pharmacy, and for the manufacture of Ammonium Alum for the dyer.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Chan. Yem. Prol. & T., 245. Arsenik, sal armoniak [v.r. armonyak], and brimston.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., I. 605. Hony, myxt with salt armonyake.
1470. Bk. Quintess., 9. If ȝe wole dissolue þe gold to watir. putte þanne yn þe watir corosyue. Sal armoniac.
1601. Holland, Pliny (1634), II. 415. This Ammoniacke salt is corrupted and sophisticate … with the pit salt of Sicily called Cocanicus.
1605. Timme, Quersit., I. v. 20. Sal armoniac is of nature spirituall.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v. Ammoniacum, The liquor will be scentless, and of the taste of sal armoniac.
1873. Williamson, Chem., viii. § 53. The hydrochlorate can be obtained in crystals … mixed with sal-ammoniac.
2. in Gum Ammoniac, i.e., ‘gum of Ammon,’ a gum-resin, of peculiar smell, and bitterish taste, the inspissated juice of an umbelliferous plant (Dorema Ammoniacum) found wild from North Africa to India, and perhaps of some of its congeners. Employed in medicine, and as a cement.
1627. Peacham, Gentl. Exerc., I. xxi. (1634), 67. Take Gumme Armoniacke, and grinde it with the juyce of Garlicke as fine as may be.
1714. Fr. Bk. Rates, 92. Gum Armoniack per 100 Weight.
1844. T. Graham, Dom. Med., 31. [Tartar emetic] … will operate as an expectorant, when combined with squill, gum ammoniac and camphor.
3. Of the nature of ammonia, ammoniacal.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., 322. Also a volatile or Armoniac Salt.
1767. Monro, in Phil. Trans., LVII. 511. I saturated some of it with the volatile ammoniac salt.
1869. Eng. Mech., 30 April, 133/2. Nearly all samples of Ammoniac Sulphate contain Sulphocyanide of Ammonia.
B. sb.
1. = Gum Ammoniac: see A 2. Also in L. form, ammoniacum.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., I. 1120. White wex, hardde pitch, remysse ammonyak Thees three comixt.
1563. T. Gale, Antidot., II. 62. The … Hammoniacum dissolued in Vineger must be boyled.
1591. Percivall, Sp. Dict., Armoniaque, Armoniake, Armoniacum.
1601. Holland, Pliny (1634), II. 180. Since we are fallen into the mention of Gums, it will not be amisse to treat of Ammoniack.
1712. trans. Pomet’s Hist. Drugs, I. 193. The Fennel bearing Ammoniack grows plentifully in the Deserts of Lybia.
1751. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., The good ammoniac is of a pale colour.
1875. Wood, Therap. (1879), 529. The influence of ammoniac upon the general system is very slight.
1876. Harley, Mat. Med., 601. It [ammoniacum] somewhat resembles the Persian drug.
† 2. = Ammonia. [mod.Fr. ammoniaque.] Obs.
1791. Hamilton, Berthollet’s Dyeing, I. I. I. iii. 46. The colour may be restored by means of chalk or ammoniac (volatile alkali).
1802. Chenevix, Chem. Nomencl., 55. Ammoniac is a term, which Mrs. Fulhame … has expressed a desire to see changed. I agree with her in preferring Ammonia.
¶ in Bole Armoniac (amoniak), it is a corruption of Armeniac. ‘Bole Armoniac or the Armenian Bole is a soft friable fatty earth, usually of a pale red colour.’ Chambers, Cycl.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Chan. Yem. Prol. & T., 238. As bol armoniak [v.r. armonyak, -yac, amoniak], verdegres, boras.
1585. H. Lloyd, Treas. Health, O iij. Take of … Mastycke, Dragons bloud, bole Amonike new, of eche like quantitee.
1586. Cogan, Haven Health (1636), 266. Coriander, Ginger, Bole Armoniacke, of each a dram.
1627. Peacham, Compl. Gent., xiii. (1634), 139. Margaritone was … the first that devised laying Gold or Gilding upon Bole Armoniacke to be burnished.
1751. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., This popularly, though corruptly called in English Bole Armoniac, is called by the naturalists Armenia terra, or Armenian clay.
