Element | Etymology | Meaning | Origin ------- | -------- | -------- | -------- Actinium | Greek aktis (ray) | Radioactive element named for its rapid emission of alpha particles | 1899 Americium | Americas | Element discovered in the United States | 1944 Antimony | Medieval Latin antimonium | Unknown, possibly "unsatisfactory" or "not a metal" | 15th century Argon | Greek argos (inactive) | Element with no known chemical activity | 1894 Arsenic | Late Latin arsenicum | Unknown, possibly "white arsenic" | 13th century Astatine | Greek astatos (unstable) | Element first identified by its radioactive decay | 1940 Barium | Greek barys (heavy) | Element discovered in a mineral called "heavy spar" | 1774 Berkelium | Berkeley, California | Element discovered at the University of California, Berkeley | 1949 Beryllium | Mineral beryl | Element discovered in the mineral beryl | 1798 Bismuth | German wismuth | Unknown, possibly from the town of Schneeberg, Germany | 15th century Bohrium | Niels Bohr | Element named for the Danish physicist | 1976 Boron | Persian buraq | Element named for borax, a mineral from which it is derived | 1808 Bromine | Greek bromos (stench) | Element with a pungent odor | 1826 Cadmium | Latin cadmia (calamine) | Element discovered in zinc oxide | 1817 Calcium | Latin calx (lime) | Element discovered in limestone | 1808 Californium | California | Element discovered at the University of California, Berkeley | 1950 Carbon | Latin carbo (coal) | Element found in coal, charcoal, and other organic materials | Prehistoric Cerium | Ceres (asteroid) | Element named for the asteroid Ceres | 1803 Cesium | Latin caesius (bluish-gray) | Element with a bluish-gray color | 1860 Chlorine | Greek chloros (greenish-yellow) | Element with a greenish-yellow color | 1774 Chromium | Greek chroma (color) | Element with a variety of colors in its compounds | 1797 Cobalt | German kobalt (goblin) | Element named for its association with harmful vapors | 16th century Copernicium | Nicolaus Copernicus | Element named for the Polish astronomer | 1996 Copper | Latin cuprum | Element named for the island of Cyprus | Prehistoric Curium | Pierre and Marie Curie | Element named for the discoverers of radium | 1944 Darmstadtium | Darmstadt, Germany | Element discovered at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt | 1982 Dubnium | Dubna, Russia | Element discovered at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna | 1967 Dysprosium | Greek dysprositos (hard to get) | Element difficult to separate from other elements | 1886 Einsteinium | Albert Einstein | Element named for the German-born physicist | 1952 Erbium | Ytterby, Sweden | Element named for the town where its ore was first found | 1842 Europium | Europe | Element named for the continent of Europe | 1901 Fermium | Enrico Fermi | Element named for the Italian-born physicist | 1952 Flerovium | Georgy Flyorov | Element named for the Russian scientist | 1998 Fluorine | Latin fluere (to flow) | Element with a low boiling point | 1811 Francium | France | Element discovered in France | 1939 Gadolinium | Johan Gadolin | Element named for the Finnish chemist | 1880 Gallium | Latin Gallia (France) | Element discovered in France | 1875 Germanium | Germany | Element discovered in Germany | 1886 Gold | Old English gold | Element prized for its beauty and durability | Prehistoric Hafnium | Latin Hafnia (Copenhagen) | Element discovered in the mineral zircon from Copenhagen | 1922 Hassium | Hesse, Germany | Element discovered at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt | 1984 Helium | Greek helios (sun) | Element first detected in the Sun's spectrum | 1868 Holmium | Latin Holmia (Stockholm) | Element discovered in the mineral gadolinite from Stockholm | 1878 Hydrogen | Greek hydro (water) and genes (forming) | Element found in water and other hydrogen-containing compounds | 1766 Indium | Indigo (color) | Element with a blue-black color | 1863 Iodine | Greek ioeides (violet-colored) | Element with a violet-colored vapor | 1811 Iridium | Latin iris (rainbow) | Element with a variety of colors in its compounds | 1803 Iron | Old English iren | Element prized for its strength and durability | Prehistoric Krypton | Greek kryptos (hidden) | Element present but undetected in the atmosphere | 1898 Lanthanum | Greek lanthanein (to conceal) | Element difficult to separate from other elements | 1839 Lawrencium | Ernest Lawrence | Element named for the American physicist | 1961 Lead | Old English lead | Element with a bluish-white color and high density | Prehistoric Lithium | Greek lithos (stone) | Element discovered in the mineral petalite | 1817 Livermorium | Livermore, California | Element discovered at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory | 2000 Lutetium | Latin Lutetia (Paris) | Element discovered in the mineral gadolinite from Paris | 1907 Magnesium | Magnesia (region in Greece) | Element discovered in the mineral magnesite from Magnesia | 1755 Manganese | Latin magnes (magnet) | Element used in alloys that make magnets | 1774 Meitnerium | Lise Meitner | Element named for the Austrian physicist | 1982 Mendelevium | Dmitri Mendeleev | Element named for the Russian chemist | 1955 Mercury | Latin mercurius (god of trade) | Element with a liquid form at room temperature | Prehistoric Molybdenum | Greek molybdos (lead) | Element resembling lead in some of its properties | 1778 Moscovium | Moscow Oblast, Russia | Element discovered at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna | 2003 Neodymium | Greek neos (new) and didymos (twin) | Element similar to the element didymium | 1895 Neon | Greek neos (new) | Element present but undetected in the atmosphere | 1898 Neptunium | Neptune (planet) | Element named for the planet Neptune | 1940 Nickel | German kupfernickel (false copper) | Element resembling copper in appearance | 1751 Nihonium | Japan | Element discovered at the RIKEN Nishina Center for Accelerator-Based Science in Japan | 2016 Niobium | Niobe (mythological figure) | Element named for the goddess Niobe | 1801 Nitrogen | French nitrogène | Element found in nitrogen gas | 1772 Nobelium | Alfred Nobel | Element named for the Swedish chemist | 1957 Oganesson | Yuri Oganessian | Element named for the Russian physicist | 2015 Osmium | Greek osme (odor) | Element with a pungent odor | 1803 Oxygen | Greek oxys (acid) and genes (forming) | Element found in water and other oxygen-containing compounds | 1774 Palladium | Pallas (asteroid) | Element named for the asteroid Pallas | 1803 Phosphorus | Greek phos (light) and phorein (to bear) | Element that glows in the dark | 1669 Platinum | Spanish *platina
Etymology The word elemental derives from the Latin adjective elementalis which in
Element Etymology Meaning Origin Actinium
Etymology The word elementary derives from the Latin word elementum which means fir
Element Etymology Meaning Origin Actinium
Etymology From Latin pix picis a resinous pitch pine tree or its wood the dark col
Element Etymology Meaning Origin Actinium
Etymology of component Latin componere meaning to put together Root con toget
Etymology The word constituent comes from the Latin word constituens meaning causi
Etymology of component Latin componere meaning to put together Root con toget
Etymology The word indium derives from the Latin word indicum meaning indigo ref
Etymology Plutonium Derived from the dwarf planet Pluto which was named after the Rom
Etymology The word osmium originates from the Greek word osme ὀσμή which mea
Etymology The word phosphorus originates from the Greek word φώσφορος phosp
Etymology The word substance is derived from the Latin word substantia which means
Etymology Douai is a city in northern France The name Douai has its origins in the Celt
