Philosopher's Egg
Preserved but no longer current.
A mediaeval preservative against poison and a cure for the plague. The shell of a new egg was pricked, the white blown out, and the place filled with saffron or a yolk of an egg mixed with saffron.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Philosopher's Egg” mean?
A mediaeval preservative against poison and a cure for the plague. The shell of a new egg was pricked, the white blown out, and the place filled with saffron or a yolk of an egg mixed with saffron.
Is “Philosopher's Egg” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.