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zinc

a bluish-white metallic element used in galvanizing and alloys

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Where does the word "zinc" come from? It comes from German Zink, and was adopted directly into English (1650s).

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Where does the word "zinc" come from? It comes from German Zink, and was adopted directly into English (1650s).

Zinc’s story begins in German: Zink meant “a jagged metal deposit.” Named by metallurgist Paracelsus, possibly from Zinke (prong), describing the metal's jagged crystal form. It reached English by 1650s as zinc. Settled as the English name for the bluish-white metallic element. Today, zinc means a bluish-white metallic element used in galvanizing and alloys.

  1. Stage 1 · German · 1500s Zink "a jagged metal deposit", named by metallurgist Paracelsus, possibly from Zinke (prong), describing the metal's jagged crystal form.
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1650s zinc "a bluish-white metallic element", settled as the English name for the bluish-white metallic element.

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