Quick Definition
orichalcum, or frankincense of a yellow color
Strong's Definition
burnished copper, an alloy of copper (or gold) and silver having a brilliant lustre
Derivation: neuter of a compound of G5475 (χαλκός) and G3030 (λίβανος) (in the implied mean of whiteness or brilliancy);
KJV Usage: fine brass
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
χαλκολίβανον (so Suidas (but see Gaisf. edition under the word)), χαλκολιβανου, τό, more correctly χαλκολιβανος, χαλκολιβανου, ἡ (according to the reading as it ought to be restored ((but see the editions)) in Rev_1:15 ὡς ἐν καμίνῳ πεπυρωμενη; cf. Düsterdieck's critical note (see Buttmann, 80 (69) note)), a word of doubtful meaning found only in Rev_1:15, and , chalcolibanus, Vulg. aurichalcum or orichalcum (so manuscript Arafat. (al. aeric.); Luther Messing (R. V. burnished brass)); according to the testimony of an ancient Greek (Ansonius) in Salmasius (Exercitt. ad Solin., p. 810 a.: ὁ λίβανος ἔχει τρία εἴδη δένδρων, καί ὁ μέν ἄρρην ὀνομάζεται χαλκολιβανος, ἡλιοειδής καί πυρρός ἤγουν ξανθός), a certain kind of (yellow) frankincense; but both the sense of the passages in Rev and a comparison of Dan_10:6 and Eze_1:7, which seem to have been in the writer's thought, compel us to understand some metal, like gold if not more precious (cf. Hebrew ηΗωΐΡξΘμ, a metal composed of gold and silver, Sept ἤλεκτρον, Vulg.electrum, Eze_1:4; Eze_1:27; Eze_8:2); this interpretation is confirmed by the gloss of Suidas: εἶδος ἠλέκτρου τιμιώτερον χρυσοῦ, ἐστι δέ τό ἤλεκτρον ἀλλοτυπον χρυσίον μεμιγμένον ὕελω καί λιθεία. The word is compounded, no doubt, of χαλκός and λίβανος, not of χαλκός and μΘαΘο, 'white.' Cf. Winer's RWB, under the word Metalle; Wetzel in the Zeitschr. f. d. luth. Theol. for 1869, p. 92ff; cf. Ewald, Johann. Schriften, ii., p. 117f; (Lee in the 'Speaker's Commentary' at the passage).
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
χαλκολίβανον chalkolibanon 2x
orichalcum, fine bronze, a factitious metal of which there were several varieties, the white being of the highest repute, or, deep-tinted frankincense, Rev_1:15 ; Rev_2:18
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
*† χαλκο -λίβανον , -ου , τό ,
chalcolibanus , probably "a mixed metal of great brilliance" ( Swete ): Rev_1:15 ; Rev_2:18 ( RV , burnished brass ).†
Liddell-Scott — Intermediate Greek Lexicon
χαλκολίβανον χαλκο-λίβα^νον, ου, τό, an uncertain word in NTest. commonly taken to mean "fine brass."
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
χαλκο-λίβανον, -ου, τό
chalcolibanus, probably "a mixed metal of great brilliance" (Swete): Rev.1:15 2:18 (RV, burnished brass).†
(AS)