English
selenite
Selenite comes from Ancient Greek σελήνη ‘moon’, and goes back to Proto-Hellenic *selasnā.
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*selasnāreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσελήνηselḗnē‘moon’
- Englishearliest quotation 1898selenite
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*selasnāreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσελήνηselḗnē‘moon’
- Englishearliest quotation 1898selenite
Earliest quotation: 1898, H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds: “I followed them to my study, and found lying…”
Formed from -ite
The story
From Ancient Greek σελήνη (selḗnē, “moon”) + -ite; the chemistry sense comes via the name of the element selenium.
Every English word from Proto-Hellenic *selasnā
Today it means
noun A soft, glassy form of gypsum (chemical formula CaSO₄·2H₂O).
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Hellenic *selasnā / selenite