selenium

Where does the word "selenium" come from? It comes from Greek selene, and was adopted directly into English (1818).

Selenium’s story begins in Greek: selene meant “the moon.” The moon, chosen to complement the related element named for the earth. It reached English by 1818 as selenium. Coined by chemists for the newly isolated element. Today, selenium means a grey, brittle nonmetallic element essential in trace amounts to living cells.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient selene "the moon", the moon, chosen to complement the related element named for the earth.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1818 selenium "a grey, brittle nonmetal element", coined by chemists for the newly isolated element.