List of chemical element name etymologies

Table columns:
Element
Element.1
Element.2
Language of origin
Original word
Meaning
Symbol origin
Description

Table rows:
cells: 89
Actinium
Ac
Greek
ἀκτίς (aktis)
beam
Greek aktinos
ἀκτίς, ἀκτῖνος (aktis; aktinos), which means "beam (ray)".
cells: 13
Aluminium
Al
Latin
alumen
alum (literally: bitter salt)[1]
Latin alumen
Latin alumen, which means "alum" (literally "bitter salt").
cells: 95
Americium
Am
America
toponym: the Americas
Named for the Americas, because it was discovered in the United States (by analogy with europium) (the name of the continent America is derived from the name of the Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci).
cells: 51
Antimony
Sb
Greek? via Medieval Latin and Middle English[2]
ἀντί + μόνος (anti monos); antimonium/ antimonie[3]
various
Possibly from Greek ἀντί + μόνος (anti monos), approximately meaning "opposed to solitude", as believed never to exist in pure form, or ἀντί + μοναχός (anti monachos) for "monk-killer" (in French folk etymology, anti-moine "monk's bane"), because many early alchemists were monks, and antimony is poisonous. This may also be derived from the Pharaonic (ancient Egyptian), Antos Ammon (expression), which could be translated as "bloom of the god Ammo". The symbol Sb is from Latin name stibium, which is derived from Greek Στίβι stíbi, a variant of στίμμι stimmi (genitive: στίμμεος or στίμμιδος), probably a loan word from Arabic or Egyptian sdm meaning "eyepaint".[4] Littré suggests that the first form is derived from *stimmida, a hypothetical alternative accusative of stimmi (the canonical accusative of the noun is the same as the nominative: stimmi). The Arabic word for the substance, as "mark" or "the cosmetic", can appear as تحميض، ثمود، وثمود، وثمود ithmid, athmoud, othmod or uthmod.[5]
cells: 18
Argon
Ar
Greek
ἀργόν (argon)
inactive
descriptive: argon
Greek argon means "inactive" (literally "slow").
cells: 33
Arsenic
As
Syriac/Persian via Greek, Latin, Old French, and Middle English
ἀρσενικόν (arsenikon)
orpiment
Greek arsenikon
From Greek ἀρσενικόν (arsenikon), which is adapted from the Syriac ܠܐ ܙܐܦܢܝܐ (al) zarniqa[6] and Persian, زرنيخ (zarnik), "yellow orpiment". Ἀρσενικόν (arsenikon) is paretymologically related to the Greek word ἀρσενικός (arsenikos), which means "masculine" or "potent". These words were adapted as the Latin arsenicum and Old French arsenic, which is the source for the English arsenic.[6]
cells: Element
Element
Element
Language of origin
Original word
Meaning
Symbol origin
Description
cells: 85
Astatine
At
Greek
ἄστατος (astatos)
unstable
Greek astatos
ἄστατος (astatos) means "unstable".[7]
cells: 56
Barium
Ba
Greek via Modern Latin
βαρύς (barys)
heavy
Greek barys
βαρύς (barys) means "heavy". The oxide was initially called "barote", then "baryta", which was modified to "barium" to describe the metal. Sir Humphry Davy gave the element this name because it was originally found in baryte, which shares the same source.[8]
cells: 97
Berkelium
Bk
Anglo-Saxon via English
University of California, Berkeley
toponym: Berkeley, California
Named for the University of California, Berkeley, where it was discovered. Berkeley, California, was named in honour of George Berkeley. "Berkeley" is derived from Old English beorce léah, which means birch lea.
cells: 4
Beryllium
Be
Sanskrit, Pali, and Prakrit via Greek, Latin, Old French, and Middle English
City of Belur via Greek βήρυλλος (beryllos)
a blue-green spar (beryllium aluminium cyclosilicate, Be3Al2(SiO3)6). Possibly related to the name of Belur.
descriptive (colour): beryl
βήρυλλος beryllos, denoting beryl, which contains beryllium.[9] The word is derived (via Latin: beryllus and French: béryl) from the Greek βήρυλλος, bērullos, a blue-green spar, from Prakrit veruliya (वॆरुलिय‌), from Pāli veḷuriya (वेलुरिय); veḷiru (भेलिरु) or, viḷar (भिलर्), "to become pale," in reference to the pale semiprecious gemstone beryl.[10] The word is ultimately derived from the Sanskrit word वैडूर्य vaidurya, which might be related to the name of the Indian city of Belur.[11]
cells: 83
Bismuth
Bi
Modern Latin from German
bisemutum
white mass
descriptive (colour): bisemutum
bisemutum is derived from German Wismuth, perhaps from weiße Masse, and means "white mass", due to its appearance.
cells: 107
Bohrium
Bh
Bohr, Niels
eponym: Niels Bohr
Named in honour of Niels Bohr, who made fundamental contributions to the understanding of atomic structure and quantum mechanics.[12] Unnilseptium was used as a temporary systematic element name.
cells: 5
Boron
B
Arabic, Medieval Latin, Anglo-Norman, Middle French, and Middle English
بورق (buraq)
Latin borax from Arabic
From the Arabic بورق (buraq), which refers to borax. Possibly derived from the Persian, بوره (burah). The Arabic was adapted as Medieval Latin baurach, Anglo-Norman boreis, and Middle English boras, which became the source of the English "boron".
cells: Element
Element
Element
Language of origin
Original word
Meaning
Symbol origin
Description
cells: 35
Bromine
Br
Greek via French
βρόμος (brómos)[13]
dirt or stench (of he-goats)[14]
Greek bromos
βρόμος (brómos) means "stench (lit. clangor)", due to its characteristic smell.
cells: 48
Cadmium
Cd
Greek/Latin
καδμεία (kadmeia)
calamine or Cadmean earth
Greek kadmia
From Latin cadmia, which is derived from Greek καδμεία (kadmeia) and means "calamine", a cadmium-bearing mixture of minerals. Cadmium is named after Cadmus (in Greek: Κάδμος Kadmos), a character in Greek mythology and calamine is derived from Le Calamine, the French name of the Belgian town of Kelmis.
cells: 55
Caesium
Cs
Latin
caesius
blue-gray[15] or sky blue
descriptive (colour): Latin caesius
From Latin caesius, which means "sky blue". Its identification was based upon the bright-blue lines in its spectrum, and it was the first element discovered by spectrum analysis.
cells: 20
Calcium
Ca
Greek/Latin
χάλιξ/calx
χάλιξ means "pebble", and calx means limestone[16]
Latin calx
From Latin calx, which means "lime". Calcium was known as early as the first century when the Ancient Romans prepared lime as calcium oxide.
cells: 98
Californium
Cf
English
California
toponym: State and University of California
Named for California, the U.S. state of California and for the University of California, Berkeley. (The origin of the state's name is disputed.)
cells: 6
Carbon
C
Latin via French
charbone
charcoal
Latin carbo
From the French, charbone, which in turn came from Latin carbō, which means "charcoal" and is related to carbōn, which means "a coal". (The German and Dutch names, "Kohlenstoff" and "koolstof", respectively, both literally mean "coal matter".) These words were derived from the PIE base *ker- meaning heat, fire, or to burn.[17]
cells: 58
Cerium
Ce
Latin
Ceres
grain, bread
astrological; mythological Ceres
Named after the asteroid Ceres, discovered two years earlier. (The asteroid, now classified as a dwarf planet, was named after Ceres, the goddess of fertility in Roman mythology.)[18] Ceres is derived from PIE *ker-es- from base *ker- meaning to grow.[19][20]
cells: 17
Chlorine
Cl
Greek
χλωρός (chlorós)
pale green[21]
descriptive (colour): Greek chloros
From Greek χλωρός (chlorós), which means "yellowish green" or "greenish yellow", because of the colour of the gas.
cells: Element
Element
Element
Language of origin
Original word
Meaning
Symbol origin
Description
cells: 24
Chromium
Cr
Greek via French
χρῶμα (chróma)
colour
descriptive (colour): Greek chroma
From Greek χρῶμα (chróma), "colour", because of its multicoloured compounds. This word was adapted as the French chrome, and adding the suffix -ium created the English "chromium".[22]
cells: 27
Cobalt
Co
German
Kobold
evil spirit
German kobold
From German Kobold, which means "evil spirit". The metal was named by miners, because it was poisonous and troublesome (polluted and degraded other mined elements, such as nickel). Other sources cite the origin in the silver miners' belief that cobalt had been placed by "Kobolds", who had stolen the silver. Some also think that the name may have been derived from Greek κόβαλος, kobalos, which means "mine" and which may have common roots with kobold, goblin, and cobalt.
cells: 112
Copernicium
Cn
Polish via Latin
Copernicus, Nicolaus
Polish surname, literally: "copper nickel"
eponym: Nicolaus Copernicus
Named in honour of Nicolaus Copernicus. Ununbium was used as a temporary systematic element name, and it was referred to as eka-mercury.
cells: 29
Copper
Cu
Greek? via Latin, West Germanic, Old English, and Middle English[23]
Κύπριος (Kyprios)?
who/which is from Cyprus
toponym: Latin Cuprum
Possibly derived from Greek Κύπριος (Kyprios) (which comes from Κύπρος (Kypros), the Greek name of Cyprus) via Latin cuprum, West Germanic *kupar, Old English coper/copor, and Middle English coper. The Latin term, during the Roman Empire, was aes cyprium; "aes" was the generic term for copper alloys such as bronze). Cyprium means "Cyprus" or "which is from Cyprus", where so much of it was mined; it was simplified to cuprum and then eventually Anglicized as copper (Old English coper/copor).
cells: 96
Curium
Cm
Curie, Marie and Pierre
eponym: Pierre and Marie Curie and the -um ending
Named in honour of Marie and Pierre Curie, who discovered radium and researched radioactivity.
cells: 110
Darmstadtium
Ds
German
Darmstadt
proper name, literally: "intestine city"
toponym
Named for Darmstadt, where it was discovered (GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research, located in Wixhausen, a small suburb north of Darmstadt). It has also been called eka-platinum and temporarily by IUPAC ununnilium (Uun).[24][25]
cells: 105
Dubnium
Db
Russian
Дубна (Dubna)
toponym
Named for Dubna (Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, U.S.S.R.) where it was discovered. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley proposed hahnium (Ha), in honour of Otto Hahn, for his pioneering work in radioactivity and radiochemistry, but the proposal was rejected. Unnilpentium was used as a temporary systematic element name.[12]
cells: 66
Dysprosium
Dy
Greek
δυσπρόσιτος (dysprositos)
hard to get at
descriptive
Derived from Greek δυσπρόσιτος (dysprositos), which means "hard to get at".
cells: Element
Element
Element
Language of origin
Original word
Meaning
Symbol origin
Description
cells: 99
Einsteinium
Es
German
Einstein, Albert
German-Jewish surname, which means "one stone"
eponym
Named in honour of Albert Einstein, for his work on theoretical physics, which included the photoelectric effect.
cells: 68
Erbium
Er
Swedish
Ytterby
proper name, literally: "outer village"
toponym
Named after the village of Ytterby in Sweden, where large concentrations of yttria and erbia are located. Erbia and terbia were confused at this time. After 1860, what had been known as terbia was renamed erbia, and after 1877, what had been known as erbia was renamed terbia.
cells: 63
Europium
Eu
Ancient Greek
Εὐρώπη (Europe)
broad-faced or well-watered
toponym; mythological
Named for Europe, where it was discovered. Europe was named after the fictional Phoenician princess Europa.
cells: 100
Fermium
Fm
Italian
Fermi, Enrico
Italian surname, from ferm- "fastener" and -i[26]
eponym
Named in honour of Enrico Fermi, who developed the first nuclear reactor, quantum theory, nuclear and particle physics, and statistical mechanics. Unnilnilium would have been used as a temporary systematic element name if the IUPAC system had been in place at the time.[12]
cells: 114
Flerovium
Fl
Russian
Flerov, Georgy
Russian surname
eponym
Named in honour of Georgy Flyorov, who was at the forefront of Soviet nuclear physics and founder of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russia, where the element was discovered. Ununquadium was used as a temporary systematic element name.[12]
cells: 9
Fluorine
F
Latin
fluor
a flowing
From fluorspar, one of its compounds (calcium fluoride, CaF2).
cells: 87
Francium
Fr
French
France
proper name (Land of the Franks)
toponym
Named for France, where it was discovered (at the Curie Institute (Paris)).
cells: 64
Gadolinium
Gd
Gadolin, Johan
eponym
Named in honour of Johan Gadolin, who was one of the founders of Nordic chemistry research, discovered yttrium, and pioneered laboratory exercise teaching. (Gadolinite, the mineral, is also named for him.)
cells: 31
Gallium
Ga
Latin
Gallia
Gaul (Ancient France)
toponym
From Latin Gallia, which means Gaul (Ancient France), and also gallus, which means "rooster". The element was obtained as free metal by Lecoq de Boisbaudran, who named gallium after France, his native land, and also, punningly, after himself, as Lecoq, which means "the rooster", or in Latin, gallus. Gallium was called eka-aluminium by Mendeleev who predicted its existence.[25]
cells: 32
Germanium
Ge
Latin
Germania
Germany
toponym
From Latin Germania, which means "Germany". Germanium has also been called eka-silicon by Mendeleev.[25]
cells: Element
Element
Element
Language of origin
Original word
Meaning
Symbol origin
Description
cells: 79
Gold
Au
Anglo-Saxon via Middle English
gold
descriptive (colour): Latin aurum
From the Anglo-Saxon, "gold", from PIE *ghel- meaning "yellow/ bright". Au is from Latin aurum, which means "shining dawn".[27]
cells: 72
Hafnium
Hf
Latin
Hafnia
Copenhagen
toponym
From Latin Hafnia, which means "Copenhagen" of Denmark.
cells: 108
Hassium
Hs
Latin
Hassia
Hesse
toponym
Derived from Latin Hassia, which means Hesse, the German state where it was discovered (at the Institute for Heavy Ion Research, Darmstadt).[12] It has also been called eka-osmium[25] and temporarily by IUPAC unniloctium (Uno).[12]
cells: 2
Helium
He
Greek
ἥλιος (hélios)
sun
astrological; mythological
Named after the Greek ἥλιος (helios), which means "the sun" or the mythological sun-god.[18] It was first identified by its characteristic emission lines in the Sun's spectrum.
cells: 67
Holmium
Ho
Latin
Holmia
Stockholm
toponym
Derived from Latin Holmia, which means Stockholm.
cells: 1
Hydrogen
H
Greek via Latin and French
ὕδωρ (root: ὑδρ-) + -γενής (-genes)
water + begetter
descriptive
From French hydrogène[28] and Latin hydro- and -genes, derived from the Greek ὕδωρ γείνομαι (hydor geinomai), meaning "Ι beget water".
cells: 49
Indium
In
Greek via Latin and English
indigo
descriptive (colour)
Named after indigo, because of an indigo-coloured spectrum line. The English word indigo is from Spanish indico and Dutch indigo (from Portuguese endego), from Latin indicum "indigo," from Greek ἰνδικόν, indikon, "blue dye from India".
cells: 53
Iodine
I
Greek via French
ἰώδης (iodes)
violet
descriptive (colour)
Named after the Greek ἰώδης (iodes), which means "violet", because of the colour of the gaseous phase. This word was adapted as the French iode, which is the source of the English "iodine".[29]
cells: 77
Iridium
Ir
Greek via Latin
ἴρις (genitive: ἴριδος)
of rainbows
descriptive (colour)
Named after the Latin noun iris, which means "rainbow, iris plant, iris of the eye", because many of its salts are strongly coloured; Iris was originally the name of the goddess of rainbows and a messenger in Greek mythology.[18]
cells: 26
Iron
Fe
Anglo-Saxon via Middle English
īsern (earlier: īren/īsen) /yren/yron
holy metal or strong metal[30]
descriptive: Anglo-Saxon
From the Anglo-Saxon īsern which is derived from Proto-Germanic isarnan meaning "holy metal" or "strong metal". The symbol Fe is from Latin ferrum, meaning "iron".
cells: 36
Krypton
Kr
Greek
κρυπτός (kryptos)
hidden
descriptive
From Greek κρυπτός (kryptos), which means "hidden one", because of its colourless, odorless, tasteless, gaseous properties, as well as its rarity in nature (like other noble gases).
cells: 57
Lanthanum
La
Greek
λανθάνειν (lanthanein)
to lie hidden
From Greek lanthanein, "to lie (hidden)".
cells: Element
Element
Element
Language of origin
Original word
Meaning
Symbol origin
Description
cells: 103
Lawrencium
Lr
Lawrence, Ernest O.
eponym
Named in honour of Ernest O. Lawrence, who was involved in the development of the cyclotron. The symbol has been Lr since 1963; formerly Lw was used. Unniltrium would have been used as a temporary systematic element name if the IUPAC system had been in place at the time.[12]
cells: 82
Lead
Pb
Anglo-Saxon
lead
The symbol Pb is from the Latin name plumbum, hence the English "plumbing".[18][31]
cells: 3
Lithium
Li
Greek
λίθος (lithos)
stone
From Greek λίθος (lithos) "stone", because it was discovered from a mineral while other common alkali metals (sodium and potassium) were discovered from plant tissue.
cells: 116
Livermorium
Lv
English
American surname
toponym
Named in honour of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, which collaborated in the discovery and is in Livermore, California, in turn named after the rancher Robert Livermore. Ununhexium was used as a temporary systematic element name.[12]
cells: 71
Lutetium
Lu
Latin
Lutetia
Paris
toponym
Named after the Latin Lutetia (Gaulish for "place of mud"), the city of Paris.[12]
cells: 12
Magnesium
Mg
Greek
Μαγνησία (Magnesia)
toponym
From the Ancient Greek Μαγνησία (Magnesia) (district in Thessaly), where discovered.
cells: 25
Manganese
Mn
Greek via Latin, Italian, and French
Μαγνησία (Magnesia; Medieval Latin: magnesia)
Magnesia
descriptive
From Latin Magnesia, ultimately from Greek; Magnesia evolved into "manganese" in Italian and into "manganèse" in French.
cells: 109
Meitnerium
Mt
Meitner, Lise
eponym
Named in honour of Lise Meitner, who shared discovery of nuclear fission.[12] It has also been called eka-iridium[25] and temporarily by IUPAC unnilennium (Une).[12]
cells: 101
Mendelevium
Md
Mendeleyev, Dmitri
eponym
Named in honour of Dmitri Mendeleyev, who invented periodic table.[32] It has also been called eka-thulium[25] and would have been temporarily called, by IUPAC, unnilunium (Unu) if the IUPAC system had been in place at the time.[12]
cells: 80
Mercury
Hg
Latin
Mercurius
Mercury
mythological
Named after Mercury, the god of speed and messenger of the Gods, as was the planet Mercury named after the god. The symbol Hg is from the Greek words ὕδωρ and ἀργυρός (hydor and argyros), which became the Latin hydrargyrum; both mean "water-silver", because it is a liquid like water (at room temperature), and has a silvery metallic sheen.[18][33]
cells: Element
Element
Element
Language of origin
Original word
Meaning
Symbol origin
Description
cells: 42
Molybdenum
Mo
Greek
μόλυβδος (molybdos)
lead-like
descriptive
From Greek μόλυβδος (molybdos), "lead".
cells: 115
Moscovium
Mc
Latin
Moscovia
Moscow
toponym
Named after Moscow Oblast, where the element was discovered. It has also been called eka-bismuth[25] and temporarily by IUPAC ununpentium (Uut).[12]
cells: 60
Neodymium
Nd
Greek
νέος δίδυμος (neos didymos)
new twin
descriptive
Derived from Greek νέος διδύμος (neos didymos), which means "new twin", because didymium separated into praseodymium and neodymium. The metals have different-coloured salts, which helps distinguish them.[34]
cells: 10
Neon
Ne
Greek
νέος (neos)
new
From Greek "νέος" (neos), which means "new".
cells: 93
Neptunium
Np
Latin
Neptunus
Neptune
astrological; mythological
Named for Neptune, the planet. (The planet was named after the god Neptune, the god of oceans in Roman mythology.)[18]
cells: 28
Nickel
Ni
Swedish via German[35]
Kopparnickel/ Kupfernickel
copper-coloured ore
descriptive
From the Swedish kopparnickel, meaning "copper-coloured ore"; this referred to the ore niccolite from which it was obtained.[36]
cells: 113
Nihonium
Nh
Japanese
日本 (Nihon)
Japan
toponym
Named after Japan, where the element was discovered. It has also been called eka-thallium[25] and temporarily by IUPAC ununtrium (Uut).[12]
cells: 41
Niobium
Nb
Greek
Νιόβη (Niobe)
snowy
mythological
Named after Niobe, daughter of Tantalus in Classical mythology.[12][18] The alternate name columbium comes from Columbia, personification of America.
cells: 7
Nitrogen
N
Greek via Latin and French
νίτρον (Latin: nitrum) -γενής (-genes)
native-soda begetter
descriptive
From French "nitrogène",[37] derived from Greek νίτρον γείνομαι (nitron geinomai), meaning "I form/beget native-soda (niter)".[38] Also used was azoth, from Andalusian Arabic al-zuq, from the Classical Arabic name of the element.
cells: 102
Nobelium
No
Nobel, Alfred
eponym
Named in honour of Alfred Nobel, who invented dynamite and instituted the Nobel Prizes foundation. Unnilbium would have been used as a temporary systematic element name if the IUPAC system had been in place at the time.[12]
cells: 118
Oganesson
Og
Russian
Оганесян (Oganessian)
Yuri Oganessian
eponym
Named after Yuri Oganessian, a great contributor to the field of synthesizing superheavy elements. It has also been called eka-radon[25] and temporarily by IUPAC ununoctium (Uuo).[12]
cells: 76
Osmium
Os
Greek via Modern Latin
ὀσμή (osme)
a smell
descriptive
From Greek ὀσμή (osme), meaning "a smell"; the tetroxide is foul-smelling.
cells: 8
Oxygen
O
Greek via French
ὀξύ γείνομαι (oxy geinomai)/oxygène
to bring forth acid
From Greek ὀξύ γείνομαι (oxy geinomai), which means "Ι bring forth acid", as it was believed to be an essential component of acids. This phrase was corrupted into the French oxygène, which became the source of the English "oxygen".[39]
cells: 46
Palladium
Pd
Greek via Latin
Παλλάς (genitive: Παλλάδος) (Pallas)
little maiden[40]
astrological; mythological
Named after Pallas, the asteroid discovered two years earlier. (The asteroid was named after Pallas Athena, goddess of wisdom and victory.)[18] The word Palladium is derived from Greek Παλλάδιον and is the neuter version of Παλλάδιος, meaning "of Pallas".[41]
cells: Element
Element
Element
Language of origin
Original word
Meaning
Symbol origin
Description
cells: 15
Phosphorus
P
Greek via Latin[42]
φῶς + -φόρος (phos + -phoros)
light-bearer
descriptive
From Greek φῶς + -φόρος (phos + phoros), which means "light bearer", because white phosphorus emits a faint glow upon exposure to oxygen. Phosphorus was the ancient name for Venus, or Hesperus, the (Morning Star).[18]
cells: 78
Platinum
Pt
Spanish via Modern Latin
platina (del Pinto)
little silver (of the Pinto River)[43]
descriptive
From the Spanish, platina, which means "little silver", because it was first encountered in a silver mine. Platina can also mean "stage (of a microscope)", and the modern Spanish is platino. Platina is a diminutive of plata (silver); it is a loan word from French plate or Provençal plata (sheet of metal) and is the origin of the English "plate".[44]
cells: 94
Plutonium
Pu
Greek via Latin
Πλούτων (Ploutōn) via Pluto
god of wealth[45]
astrological; mythological
Named after Pluto, the dwarf planet, because it was discovered directly after Neptunium and is higher than Uranium in the periodic table, so by analogy with the ordering of the planets. (The planet Pluto was named after Pluto, a Greek god of the dead)[18] Πλούτων (Ploutōn) is related to the Greek word πλοῦτος (ploutos) meaning "wealth".
cells: 84
Polonium
Po
Latin
Polonia
Poland
toponym
Named after Poland, homeland of discoverer Marie Curie. Was also called radium F.
cells: 19
Potassium
K
Modern Latin via Dutch and English[46]
potassa; potasch via potash[47]
pot-ash
From the English "potash", which means "pot-ash" (potassium compound prepared from an alkali extracted in a pot from the ash of burnt wood or tree leaves). Potash is a literal translation of the German Potaschen, which means "pot ashes".[46] The symbol K is from the Latin name kalium, from Arabic القلي (al qalīy), which means "calcined ashes".
cells: 59
Praseodymium
Pr
Greek
πράσιος δίδυμος (prasios didymos)
green twin
descriptive
From Greek πράσιος δίδυμος (prasios didymos), meaning "green twin", because didymium separated into praseodymium and neodymium, with salts of different colours; praseodymium oxide is green.
cells: 61
Promethium
Pm
Greek
Προμηθεύς (Prometheus)
forethought[48]
mythological
Named after Prometheus, who stole the fire of heaven and gave it to mankind (in Classical mythology).[18]
cells: 91
Protactinium
Pa
Greek
πρῶτος + ἀκτίς
first beam element
descriptive?
Derived from former name protoactinium, from the Greek prefix proto "first" + Neo-Latin actinium from Greek ἀκτίς (gen.: ἀκτῖνος) "ray" + Latin -ium.[49]
cells: 88
Radium
Ra
Latin via French
radius
ray
descriptive
From Latin radius meaning "ray", because of its radioactivity.
cells: 86
Radon
Rn
Latin via German and English[50]
Radium
Contraction of radium emanation, since the element appears in the radioactive decay of radium. An alternative, rejected name was niton (Nt), from Latin nitens "shining", because of the radioluminescence of radon.
cells: 75
Rhenium
Re
Latin
Rhenus
Rhine
toponym
From Latin Rhenus, the river Rhine.
cells: 45
Rhodium
Rh
Greek
ῥόδον (rhodon)
rose
descriptive (colour)
From Greek ῥόδον (rhodon), which means "rose". From rose-red compounds.
cells: 111
Roentgenium
Rg
Röntgen, Wilhelm Conrad
eponym
Named in honour of Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, who produced and detected X-rays. It has also been called eka-gold[25] and temporarily by IUPAC unununium (Uuu).[12]
cells: Element
Element
Element
Language of origin
Original word
Meaning
Symbol origin
Description
cells: 37
Rubidium
Rb
Latin
rubidus
deepest red
descriptive (colour)
From Latin rubidus, which means "deepest red", because of the colour of a spectral line.
cells: 44
Ruthenium
Ru
Latin
Ruthenia
Ruthenia, Kievan Rus' [51]
toponym
From Latin Ruthenia, geographical exonym for Kievan Rus'.
cells: 104
Rutherfordium
Rf
Rutherford, Ernest
eponym
Named in honour of Baron Ernest Rutherford, who pioneered the Bohr model of the atom. Rutherfordium has also been called kurchatovium (Ku), named in honour of Igor Vasilevich Kurchatov, who helped develop understanding of the uranium chain reaction and the nuclear reactor. Unnilquadium was used as a temporary systematic element name.[12]
cells: 62
Samarium
Sm
Samarsky-Bykhovets, Vasili
eponym
Named after samarskite, the mineral. (Samarskite was named after Colonel Vasili Samarsky-Bykhovets, a Russian mine official.)
cells: 21
Scandium
Sc
Latin
Scandia
Scandinavia
toponym
Named from Latin Scandia, which means Scandinavia; formerly eka-boron.[25]
cells: 106
Seaborgium
Sg
Swedish via English
Seaborg, Glenn Teodor
Swedish surname, literally: "Lake Mountain"
eponym
Named in honour of Glenn T. Seaborg, who discovered the chemistry of the transuranium elements, shared in the discovery and isolation of ten elements, and developed and proposed the actinide series. Other names: eka-tungsten[25] and temporarily by IUPAC unnilhexium (Unh).[12]
cells: 34
Selenium
Se
Greek
σελήνη (selene)
moon
astrological; mythological
From Greek σελήνη (selene), which means "Moon", and also moon-goddess Selene.[18]
cells: 14
Silicon
Si
Latin
silex, -icis
flint
descriptive
From Latin "silex" or "silicis", which means "flint", a kind of stone (chiefly silicon dioxide).
cells: 47
Silver
Ag
Akkadian via Anglo-Saxon and Middle English
𒊭𒁺𒁍/𒊭𒅈𒇥; siolfor/seolfor
to refine, smelt
Latin argentum
From the Anglo-Saxon, seolfor which was derived from Proto-Germanic *silubra-; compare Old High German silabar; and has cognates in Balto-Slavic languages: Church Slavonic: sĭrebro, Lithuanian: sidabras, Old Prussian sirablan. Possibly borrowed from Akkadian 𒊭𒅈𒇥 sarpu "refined silver" and related to 𒊭𒁺𒁍 sarapu "to refine, smelt".[52] Alternatively, possibly from one of the Pre-Indo-European languages, compare Basque: zilar. The symbol Ag is from the Latin name argentum, which is derived from PIE *arg-ent-.
cells: 11
Sodium
Na
English
soda
From the English "soda", used in names for sodium compounds such as caustic soda, soda ash, and baking soda. Probably from Italian sida (or directly from Medieval Latin soda) "a kind of saltwort," from which soda was obtained, of uncertain origin.[53] The symbol Na is from the Modern Latin noun natrium, derived from Greek νίτρον (nítron), "natural soda, a kind of salt" + Latin -ium.[54] The original source is either the Arabic word نطرون natrun or the Egyptian word netjeri.[55]
cells: Element
Element
Element
Language of origin
Original word
Meaning
Symbol origin
Description
cells: 38
Strontium
Sr
Scottish Gaelic via English
Sròn an t-Sìthein; Strontian
proper name (literally: "nose [i.e., 'point'] of the fairy hill)"
toponym
Named after strontianite, the mineral. (Strontianite was named after the town of Strontian, the source of the mineral in Scotland.)
cells: 16
Sulfur
S
Latin Proto-Indo-European
Old Latin sulpur (later sulphur, sulfur) PIE *swépl̥ (genitive *sulplós), nominal derivative of *swelp.[56]
> PIE *swelp 'to burn'
Latin sulfur
The word came into Middle English from Anglo-Norman sulfre, itself derived through Old French soulfre from Late Latin sulfur.[57]
cells: 73
Tantalum
Ta
Greek
Τάνταλος (Tantalus)
Tantalus; possibly "the bearer" or "the sufferer"[58]
mythological
Named after the Greek Τάνταλος ("Tantalus"), who was punished after death by being condemned to stand knee-deep in water. If he bent to drink the water, it drained below the level he could reach (in Greek mythology). This was considered similar to tantalum's general non-reactivity (that is, "unreachability") because of its inertness (it sits among reagents and is unaffected by them).[18]
cells: 43
Technetium
Tc
Greek
τεχνητός (technetos)
artificial
descriptive
From Greek τεχνητός (technetos), which means "artificial", because it was the first artificially produced element. Technetium has also been called eka-manganese.[25]
cells: 52
Tellurium
Te
Latin
Tellus
Earth
From Latin tellus ("Earth").
cells: 117
Tennessine
Ts
Cherokee via English
Tennessee
Tennessee
toponym
Named after Tennessee (itself named after the Cherokee village of ᏔᎾᏏ /tanasi/), where important work for one of the steps to synthesise the element was done. It has also been called eka-astatine[25] and temporarily by IUPAC ununseptium (Uut).[12]
cells: 65
Terbium
Tb
Swedish
Ytterby
Proper name (literally: outer village)
toponym
Named after Ytterby, the village in Sweden where the element was first discovered.
cells: 81
Thallium
Tl
Greek
θαλλός (thallos)
green twig
descriptive
From Greek θαλλός (thallos), which means "a green shoot (twig)", because of its bright-green spectral emission lines.
cells: 90
Thorium
Th
Old Norse
Þōrr (modern English Thor)
thunder
mythological
Named after Thor, a god associated with thunder in Norse mythology.[18] The former name ionium (Io) was given early in the study of radioactive elements to the 230Th isotope.
cells: Element
Element
Element
Language of origin
Original word
Meaning
Symbol origin
Description
cells: 69
Thulium
Tm
Greek
Θούλη, Θύλη[59]
a mythical country
mythological
Named after Thule, an ancient Roman and Greek name (Θούλη, Θύλη) for a mythical country in the far north, perhaps Scandinavia. By the same token, thulia, its oxide.
cells: 50
Tin
Sn
Anglo-Saxon via Middle English
tin
Borrowed from a Proto-Indo-European language, and has cognates in several Germanic and Celtic languages.[60] The symbol Sn is from its Latin name stannum.
cells: 22
Titanium
Ti
Greek
Τιτάν Titan (gen.: Τιτάνος)
Earth
mythological
From Greek τιτάν (titan), which means "Earth", and also "Titans", the first sons of Gaia in Greek mythology.[18]
cells: 74
Tungsten
W
Swedish and Danish
tung sten
heavy stone
descriptive
From the Swedish and Danish "tung sten", which means "heavy stone". The symbol W is from the scientific name wolfram. The element's ore, wolframite, was named in honour of Peter Woulfe, who discovered its existence. The names wolfram or volfram are still used in Swedish and several other languages. [12]
cells: 92
Uranium
U
Greek via Latin
Οὐρανός (Ouranos); Uranus
sky
astrological; mythological
Named after the planet Uranus, which had been discovered eight years earlier in 1781. The planet was named after the god Uranus, the god of sky and heaven in Greek mythology.[18]
cells: 23
Vanadium
V
Old Norse
Vanadís
"Dís of the Vanir"
mythological
From Vanadís, one of the names of the Vanr goddess Freyja in Norse mythology, because of multicoloured chemical compounds deemed beautiful.[18]
cells: 54
Xenon
Xe
Greek
ξένος (xenos)
foreign
From the Greek adjective ξένος (xenos), which means "foreign, a stranger".
cells: 70
Ytterbium
Yb
Swedish
Ytterby
proper name, literally: "outer village"
toponym
Named after ytterbia, the (oxide) compound of ytterbium. (The compound ytterbia was named after Ytterby, the Swedish village (near Vaxholm) where the mineral gadolinite was also found.)[12]
cells: 39
Yttrium
Y
Swedish
Ytterby
proper name, literally: "outer village"
toponym
Named after yttria, the (oxide) compound of yttrium. (The compound yttria was named after Ytterby, the village where the mineral gadolinite was also found.)[12]
cells: 30
Zinc
Zn
German
Zink
Cornet
From German Zink which is related to Zinken "prong, point", probably alluding to its spiky crystals. May be derived from Old Persian.
cells: 40
Zirconium
Zr
Syriac/Persian via Arabic and German
ܙܐܪܓܥܢܥ zargono,[61] زرگون (zargûn)
gold-like
From Arabic زركون (zarkûn). Derived from the Persian, زرگون (zargûn), which means "gold-like". Zirkon is the German variant of these and is the origin of the English "zircon".[62]

Questions about this table:
originalText: which element is named for the greek word for green
answer: answerTexts: Chlorine