Chrome
/kroʊm/noun
A hard, shiny, corrosion-resistant metal used for plating and alloys.
Did you know?Chromium was named from Greek chrōma, meaning “color,” because its compounds produce such intensely bright reds, yellows, and greens that early chemists saw a whole spectrum in one element.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
chrōma
“color; hue”
Late Latin
Latin
chromium
“the metal chromium, named for its colorful compounds”
1797
French
chrome
“chromium; the metal element”
19th Century
English
chrome
“chromium metal or chromium plating”
Modern English
English
chrome
“a shiny chromium coating or the metal itself”
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