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Bismuth

3 stages from German to English.

Today it means a brittle reddish-white metallic element

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

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

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.