χαλκός .χαλκός, οῦ, ὁ, copper, Lat. aes, Hom., etc.; called in reference to its colour, ἐρυθρός, Il.:—copper was the first metal wrought for use, τοῖς δʼ ἦν χάλκεα μὲν τεύχη χάλκεοι δέ τε οἶκοι, χαλκῷ δʼ ἐργάζοντο, μέλας δʼ 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. anything made of brass or metal, as a spear, sword, knife, etc., Il.; χαλκὸν ζώννυσθαι of a warrior girding on his armour, Il., etc. of vessels, a copper, caldron, urn, Hom., etc. of a brasen mirror, Anth. a copper coin, like χαλκοῦς II, Anth.