L. (and It.) terra earth, used, with qualifying adjectives, to form the names of medicinal and other earths, boles, and the like, as terra alba, pipe-clay; terra cariosa, tripoli or rotten-stone; terra chia, also chia terra, Chian earth, an astringent and cosmetic bole formerly obtained from the island of Chios; see also quot. 1615; terra foliata (tartari), = foliated earth of tartar, potassium acetate; terra merita = TURMERIC; terra nera [Ital. ‘black earth’], see quot.; terra nobilis, an old name for the diamond (Ogilvie, Annandale, 1882); terra ponderosa, barium sulphate, heavy spar. See also TERRA FIRMA, T. JAPONICA, etc.
1871. Napheys, Prev. & Cure Dis., I. ii. 79. The insoluble white clay known in commerce as *terra alba.
1823. Crabb, Technol. Dict., *Terra cariosa … rotten stone; a species of non effervescent chalk, of a brown colour.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., 12. It [Chios] hath … a certaine greene earth like the rust of brasse, which the Turkes call *Terra Chia: but not that so reputed of by the ancient Physitions.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v., Chia Terra, in the materia medica of the antients, an earth of the marle-kind, found in the island of Chio. Ibid., *Terra foliata tartari.
1758. Reid, trans. Macquer’s Chym., I. 122. This solution being evaporated to dryness leaves a matter in the form of leaves lying on each other; on which account it hath obtained the name of Terra Foliata.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., *Terra merita,… a name given by some … to the curcuma, or turmeric-root.
1882. Ogilvie, *Terra nera … a native, unctuous pigment, used by the ancient artists in fresco, oil, and tempera painting.
1794. Sullivan, View Nat., I. 250. *Terra ponderosa.
