nitrogen

Where does the word "nitrogen" come from? It comes from Greek nitron, passing through French before entering English (1794).

Nitrogen’s story begins in Greek: nitron meant “soda, natron.” Natron, a naturally occurring soda-like mineral. By 1790, the word had taken hold in French as nitrogene. Coined by Chaptal from Greek nitron and -gene (producer), for the gas found in nitre. It reached English by 1794 as nitrogen. Jean-Antoine Chaptal named it 'nitrogène' in 1790, 'producer of nitre'; Lavoisier called it 'azote', lifeless. Today, nitrogen means a colorless, odorless gas that makes up most of Earth's atmosphere.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient nitron "soda, natron", natron, a naturally occurring soda-like mineral.
2. Stage 2 · French · 1790 nitrogene "nitre-producer", coined by Chaptal from Greek nitron and -gene (producer), for the gas found in nitre.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1794 nitrogen "a colorless, mostly inert gas", Jean-Antoine Chaptal named it 'nitrogène' in 1790, 'producer of nitre'; Lavoisier called it 'azote', lifeless.