English
magnesium
Magnesium comes from Ancient Greek μαγνησία ‘name of several ores and metallic amalgams’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμαγνησίαmagnēsía‘name of several ores and metallic amalgams’
- New Latinc. 1500–1900magnēsium
- Englishearliest quotation 2024magnesium
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμαγνησίαmagnēsía‘name of several ores and metallic amalgams’
- New Latinc. 1500–1900magnēsium
- Englishearliest quotation 2024magnesium
Earliest quotation: 2024, Laura Paddison: “A sample of carbon removed from the ocean in…”
The story
Coined by British chemist Humphry Davy, as a modification of his original suggestion, magnium.
Linked words
through New Latin magnēsium
Today it means
noun The chemical element with an atomic number of 12. It is a light, easily flammable, silvery-white alkaline earth metal.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek μαγνησία / magnesium