cobalt

Where does the word "cobalt" come from? It comes from German Kobold, and was adopted directly into English (1680s).

Cobalt’s story begins in German: Kobold meant “a goblin, sprite.” A mischievous goblin blamed by miners for the ore's toxic, worthless-seeming nature. It reached English by 1680s as cobalt. Settled as the name for the metallic element once its blue pigment proved valuable. Today, cobalt means a hard, silvery-blue metallic element, or the deep blue color derived from it.

1. Stage 1 · German · medieval Kobold "a goblin, sprite", a mischievous goblin blamed by miners for the ore's toxic, worthless-seeming nature.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1680s cobalt "a hard silvery-blue metallic element", settled as the name for the metallic element once its blue pigment proved valuable.