ALEM'BIC, noun A chimical vessel used in distillation; usually made of glass or copper. The bottom part containing the liquor to be distilled, is called the cucurbit; the upper part which receives and condenses the stream, is called the head, the beak of which is fitted to the neck of a receiver. The head is more properly the alembic This vessel is not so generally used now, as the worm still and retort.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI