blende etymology

Etymology of "Blende"

The word "blende" has roots in German and Swedish.

• German: "blende," meaning "to blind" or "to dazzle"
• Swedish: "bländning," meaning "dazzle" or "deception"

Meaning and Origin

"Blende" originally referred to a mineral that had a metallic luster but was not a true metal. This included minerals such as pyrite (fool's gold) and sphalerite (zinc blende). It gained this name because it often "blinded" or fooled miners into thinking it was a valuable metal.

Over time, the term "blende" has come to refer to any mineral with a metallic luster but is not a metal itself. These minerals typically have a high percentage of sulfur or selenium. Examples include:

• Sphalerite (zinc blende): A mineral composed primarily of zinc sulfide (ZnS)
• Galena (lead blende): A mineral composed primarily of lead sulfide (PbS)
• Chalcopyrite (copper pyrites): A mineral composed of copper, iron, and sulfur (CuFeS₂)
• Pyrite (fool's gold): A mineral composed primarily of iron sulfide (FeS₂)

Today, the term "blende" is mainly used in mineralogy to describe these types of minerals. It is also occasionally used to refer to other substances with a metallic luster, such as metallic paints or coatings.

blende relate terms

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• blende

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• sister

  Etymology Old English sweostor Proto Germanic swestr Proto Indo European swesor Mea

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• picnic

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• eminent

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