bismuth

Where does the word "bismuth" come from? It comes from German Wismut, passing through Modern Latin before entering English (1660s).

Bismuth’s story begins in German: Wismut meant “bismuth.” A word of the silver miners of Schneeberg in Saxony, of uncertain origin. By 1546, the word had taken hold in Modern Latin as bisemutum. The mineralogist Georgius Agricola Latinized the miners' word. It reached English by 1660s as bismuth. Borrowed into chemistry. Today, bismuth means a brittle reddish-white metallic element.

1. Stage 1 · German · 1400s Wismut "bismuth", a word of the silver miners of Schneeberg in Saxony, of uncertain origin.
2. Stage 2 · Modern Latin · 1546 bisemutum "bismuth", the mineralogist Georgius Agricola Latinized the miners' word.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1660s bismuth "bismuth", borrowed into chemistry.