Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “calomel” come from?

Calomel comes from French calomel, ultimately derived from Greek kalós meaning "beautiful" and mélas meaning "black," referring to the white mineral's darkening upon exposure to light.

calomel (English): mercurous chloride HgCl, formerly used as a...

Definitions

  1. mercurous chloride HgCl, formerly used as a...

Ancestry of “calomel”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchcalomelcalomel
2Frenchcalomélas—
3Ancient Greekκαλόςbeautiful, lovely; good, quality, useful; good,...
4Ancient GreekεἶδοςThat which is seen: form, image, shape;...
5Spanish-scopio-scope
6Latin-scopium—
7Ancient GreekσκοπέωI look, look at, behold; I examine, inspect; 413...
8Ancient Greekσκοπόςwatcher, lookout; protector, guardian; spy, scout
9Ancient GreekσκέπτομαιI look at, examine; I examine, consider, think
10Proto-Hellenicsképťomaito look at
11Proto-Indo-Europeanspéḱyetito be looking at, to keep looking at
12Proto-Indo-Europeanspeḱ-to see, to look, to observe
Every word from Proto-Indo-European speḱ- →