boron

Where does the word "boron" come from? It comes from Persian burah, passing through Arabic, Medieval Latin and English before entering English (1812).

Boron’s story begins in Persian: burah meant “borax mineral.” Likely the ultimate source of the word for the mineral flux. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Arabic as buraq. Alchemists used borax to help melt and join metals. From there it passed into Medieval Latin as baurach by medieval. Latin translations of Arabic chemistry spread the term. English picked it up next, as borax, around 1300s. Entered English via Anglo-French 'boras' as the name of the mineral. It reached English by 1812 as boron. Coined by Humphry Davy by blending 'borax' with the ending of 'carbon', since the two elements share properties. Today, boron means a hard, brittle metalloid chemical element.

1. Stage 1 · Persian · ancient burah "borax mineral", likely the ultimate source of the word for the mineral flux.
2. Stage 2 · Arabic · medieval buraq "borax mineral", alchemists used borax to help melt and join metals.
3. Stage 3 · Medieval Latin · medieval baurach "borax mineral", Latin translations of Arabic chemistry spread the term.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1300s borax "a white mineral used in cleaning and glassmaking", entered English via Anglo-French 'boras' as the name of the mineral.
5. Stage 5 · English · 1812 boron "a hard, brittle metalloid element", coined by Humphry Davy by blending 'borax' with the ending of 'carbon', since the two elements share properties.