Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “potassium” come from?

Potassium derives from English potassa, from Dutch potasch, from Latin -us, from Old Latin -os, from Proto-Italic -os, from Proto-Indo-European -ós.

potassium (English): A soft, waxy, silvery reactive metal that is...

Definitions

  1. A soft, waxy, silvery reactive metal that is...

Ancestry of “potassium”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpotashThe water-soluble part of the ash formed by...
2EnglishAsh—
3Middle Englishassheashes; The remnants of a lifeform; The matter...
4Old Englishæscash tree; spear; ship
5Old Englishæsċash tree; ash, spear, lance, ship
6Old Englishtrēo—
7Proto-West Germanictreutree; wood
8Proto-Germanictrewątree
9EnglishdoruAlternative form of dory
10Ancient Greekδόρυwood, tree, stem; spear shaft, spear, lance,...
11Proto-Hellenicdórutree
12Proto-Indo-Europeandórutree
13Proto-Indo-Europeandrew-hard, firm, strong, solid; hard, fast; tree

Words derived from “potassium”

  • potassic
  • dipotassium
  • ultrapotassic
  • monopotassium
  • hypopotassemia
  • hyperpotassemia
  • nonpotassium
  • potassian
  • potassicpargasite
  • methylpotassium
  • potassiferous
  • potassiumlike
  • organopotassium
  • radiopotassium
  • potassoxyl
  • potasside
  • potaisiam
  • పొటాషియము
  • potasiamu
Every word from Proto-Indo-European drew- →