Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “iridium” come from?

Iridium is a New Latin scientific naming suffix -ium derived from Latin -um, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European weh₁y- meaning to turn or bend.

iridium (English): A chemical element with an atomic number of 77:...

Definitions

  1. A chemical element with an atomic number of 77:...

Ancestry of “iridium”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latiniridiumiridium
2LatinĪris—
3Ancient GreekἾριςthe messenger of the gods; a rainbow; the iris ;...
4Ancient GreekἼρις—

Words derived from “iridium”

  • iridosmine
  • iridian
  • iridate
  • rutheniridosmine
  • radioiridium
  • iridiferous
  • iridarsenite
  • eka-iridium
  • diiridium
  • organoiridium
  • iridium
Every word from Ancient Greek Ἴρις →