Definition

A yellow mineral made of arsenic trisulfide, often used as a pigment in art and decoration.

Example

The artist chose orpiment for its vibrant yellow color in the painting.

Conversation

I just learned about a mineral called orpiment in my geology class.

Oh really? What makes it interesting?

It's a bright yellow mineral that's actually used as a pigment for painting.

That sounds cool! I wonder how it was used in ancient art.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Orpiment comes from the Latin 'auripigmentum', which is formed from 'aurum' (meaning gold) and 'pigmentum' (meaning pigment). The word refers to a yellow pigment that resembles gold in color.

Memory Tip

Think of 'gold' ('aurum') to remember that orpiment is a yellow pigment that looks like gold.

Visually Confused Words