English
polonium
Polonium comes from Medieval Latin Polonia ‘Poland’, from Proto-Slavic *poľaninъ ‘field dweller’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂- ‘flat’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pleh₂-‘flat’reconstructed
- Proto-Slavicc. 400–900 CE*poľe‘field’reconstructed
- Proto-Slavic, derivedc. 400–900 CE*poľaninъ‘field dweller’reconstructed
- Proto-Slavic, derivedc. 400–900 CE*poľanereconstructedplural of *poľaninъ
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500Polonia‘Poland’
- New Latinc. 1500–1900polonium
- Englishtodaypolonium
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pleh₂-‘flat’reconstructed
- Proto-Slavicc. 400–900 CE*poľe‘field’reconstructed
- Proto-Slavic, derivedc. 400–900 CE*poľaninъ‘field dweller’reconstructed
- Proto-Slavic, derivedc. 400–900 CE*poľanereconstructedplural of *poľaninъ
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500Polonia‘Poland’
- New Latinc. 1500–1900polonium
- Englishtodaypolonium
The story
From New Latin polonium, from Medieval Latin Polonia (‘Poland’), named after Marie Curie's homeland.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂- ‘flat’
field, explain, floor, plane, plain, explanation, palm, clan, archipelago, explanatory, playa, fluke, placenta, planar, parma, palatine, esplanade, placate, plantar, implacable, pelagic, flounder, lech, flay, veld, llano, planta, purdah, floe, 49 more
Today it means
noun A rare, highly radioactive chemical element (symbol Po) with atomic number 84.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂- / polonium