χαλκός
Alt. χαλκός, οῦ, ὁ,
I. "copper", Lat. aes, Hom., etc.; called in reference to its colour, ἐρυθρός, Il.:—copper was the first metal wrought for use, τοῖς δ᾽ ἦν χάλκεα μὲν τεύχη χάλκεοι δέ τε οἶκοι, χαλκῷ δ᾽ ἐργάζοντο, μέλας δ᾽ οὐκ ἔσκε σίδηρος Hes.:—hence χαλκός came to be used for "metal" in general; and, when men learnt to work iron, χαλκός was used for σίδηρος, and χαλκεύς came to mean "a blacksmith." χαλκός also meant "bronze" (i. e. "copper alloyed with tin)", not "brass" (i. e. "copper alloyed with zinc", which was a later invention), and this was its sense when applied to arms.
II. "anything made of brass or metal", as a spear, sword, knife, etc., Il.; χαλκὸν ζώννυσθαι of a warrior girding on his armour, id=Il., etc.
2. of vessels, "a copper, caldron, urn", Hom., etc.
3. of "a brasen mirror", Anth.
4. "a copper coin", like χαλκοῦς II, id=Anth.