[lith-ahrj, li-thahrj] 
| a yellowish or reddish, odorless, heavy, earthy, water-insoluble, poisonous solid, PbO, used chiefly in the manufacture of storage batteries, pottery, lead glass, paints, enamels, and inks. |
| lith·arge (lĭth'ärj', lĭ-thärj') n. A yellow lead oxide, PbO, used in storage batteries and glass and as a pigment. Also called lead monoxide. [Middle English litarge, from Old French, alteration of litargire, from Latin lithargyrus, from Greek litharguros : lithos, stone + arguros, silver; see arg- in Indo-European roots.] |
litharge
one of two mineral forms of lead(II) oxide (PbO). It is found with the other form, massicot, as dull or greasy, very heavy, soft, red crusts in the oxidized zone of lead deposits, as at Cucamonga Peak and Fort Tejon, Calif., U.S., and near Hailey, Idaho, U.S. For mineralogic properties, see oxide mineral (table). Synthetic lead(II) oxide is called litharge, though it is a mixture of litharge and massicot.
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