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Where does the word "chromium" come from? It comes from Greek chroma, and was adopted directly into English (1797).
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Where does the word "chromium" come from? It comes from Greek chroma, and was adopted directly into English (1797).
Chromium’s story begins in Greek: chroma meant “color.” Color, since the element's compounds display vivid colors. It reached English by 1797 as chromium. Coined by its discoverer for the element known for its colorful compounds. Today, chromium means a hard, shiny, corrosion-resistant metallic element used in alloys and plating.
- Stage 1 · Greek · ancient chroma "color", color, since the element's compounds display vivid colors.
- Stage 2 · English · 1797 chromium "a hard, shiny, corrosion-resistant metal", coined by its discoverer for the element known for its colorful compounds.