retort vs alembic

retort and alembic both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
retort	Yes	No	Yes	No
alembic	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, alembic is a hyponym of retort; that is, alembic is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than retort:

retort: a vessel where substances are distilled or decomposed by heat
alembic: an obsolete kind of container used for distillation; two retorts connected by a tube

retort (noun)	alembic (noun)
a vessel where substances are distilled or decomposed by heat	an obsolete kind of container used for distillation; two retorts connected by a tube
a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)

retort (verb)	alembic (verb)
answer back