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What is "caput mortuum"

The Collaborative International Dictionary
Caput mortuum

Caput \Ca"put\ (k[=a]"p[u^]t), n.; pl. Capita (k[a^]p"[i^]*t[.a]). [L., the head.]

  1. (Anat.) The head; also, a knoblike protuberance or capitulum.

  2. The top or superior part of a thing.

  3. (Eng.) The council or ruling body of the University of Cambridge prior to the constitution of 1856.

    Your caputs and heads of colleges.
    --Lamb.

    Caput mortuum. [L., dead head.] (Old Chem.) The residuum after distillation or sublimation; hence, worthless residue.

Wiktionary
caput mortuum

n. 1 worthless residue, useless substance 2 Cardinal purple, a variety of haematite iron oxide pigment

Wikipedia
Caput mortuum

Caput mortuum (plural capita mortua) is a Latin term whose literal meaning is "dead head" or "worthless remains," used in alchemy and also as the name of a pigment.

Usage examples of "caput mortuum".

In a storm of proffered adjectives I stood in the piazza and watched spellbound as the Great Council of Venice marched along the Molo, as the High Mass was sung from the altar of San Marco, as the ships moved out on the glassy waves of the Adriatic, as the brushes dipped to gather up their colors and mix them in the earthen potsrose madder, vermilion, carmine, cerise, cerulean, turquoise, viridian, yellow ocher, burnt umber, quinacridone, citrine, sepia, Caput Mortuum Violet oh, too lovelyand of a thick lacquer, the name Dragon's blood.

You cleanse away carefully the sordes and caput mortuum, letting all that is volatile evaporate.