Paracelsus

//ˌpæɹəˈsɛlsəs// name

name ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    The adopted name of Philippus von Hohenheim, a Swiss thinker of the 16th century known for his pioneering scientific work and his research into the occult and alchemy.

Example

More examples

"Paracelsus left an intense and long-lasting influence."

Etymology

Coined before 1529, possibly before 1524. The name was likely a latinization based on celsus (“high, tall”) as a calque of German Hohenheim. However, it was interpreted as the claim of "surpassing (παρά) Celsus" from an early time.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.