iodine

Where does the word "iodine" come from? It comes from Greek iodes, and was adopted directly into English (1814).

Iodine’s story begins in Greek: iodes meant “violet-colored.” Violet-colored, describing the vapor given off by the element when heated. It reached English by 1814 as iodine. Coined by chemists for the element after observing its violet vapor. Today, iodine means a dark, lustrous chemical element used as an antiseptic and dietary supplement.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient iodes "violet-colored", violet-colored, describing the vapor given off by the element when heated.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1814 iodine "a dark, lustrous element that gives off violet vapor", coined by chemists for the element after observing its violet vapor.