Boron
/ˈbɔːrɒn/noun
A chemical element that is a hard, brittle metalloid used in glass, detergents, and semiconductors.
Did you know?Boron was named in 1808 from borax; the modern element name ultimately comes through Arabic and Persian, where the word referred to a flux used in metalworking and glassmaking.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Persian
Persian
burah
“Borax; a mineral salt used as a flux”
Early Arabic
Arabic
būraq
“Borax; a mineral used in metallurgy and glassmaking”
Medieval Latin
Latin
borax
“Borax; the mineral salt”
1808
French
boron
“Name coined for the new element from borax”
Modern English
English
boron
“The chemical element boron”