Where does “hematite” come from?
Hematite comes from Middle French hematite, from Latin haematites, from Ancient Greek αἱματίτης, ultimately derived from Ancient Greek αἷμα meaning blood, with the name referencing the stone's blood-red color.
hematite (English): An iron ore, mainly peroxide of iron, FeO
Definitions
- An iron ore, mainly peroxide of iron, FeO
Ancestry of “hematite”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | hematite | hematite ore |
| 2 | Latin | haematites | A kind of red iron-ore, haematite; A red-colored... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | αἱματίτης | bloodlike used chiefly in fixed expressions; see Derived terms |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | αἷμα | blood |
| 5 | Latin | globus | any round object; a sphere; a globe; a glob,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | gel- | to be cold, to freeze |