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Where does the word "molybdenum" come from? It comes from Greek molybdos, and was adopted directly into English (1778).
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Where does the word "molybdenum" come from? It comes from Greek molybdos, and was adopted directly into English (1778).
Molybdenum’s story begins in Greek: molybdos meant “lead.” Lead, since the ore was long confused with lead ore. It reached English by 1778 as molybdenum. Coined once chemists distinguished the metal from true lead ore. Today, molybdenum means a hard, silvery-grey metallic element used to strengthen steel alloys.
- Stage 1 · Greek · ancient molybdos "lead", lead, since the ore was long confused with lead ore.
- Stage 2 · English · 1778 molybdenum "a hard, silvery-grey metallic element", coined once chemists distinguished the metal from true lead ore.