Fermium
/ˈfɜːr.mi.əm/noun
A synthetic radioactive metallic element with atomic number 100.
Did you know?Fermium was named in honor of Enrico Fermi, and it was first identified in the debris of the first hydrogen bomb test—born from one of the most destructive experiments ever made.
Etymological Timeline
1920s-1930s
Italian
Fermi
“The surname of physicist Enrico Fermi, from Italian fermo, meaning 'firm, fixed, steady'.”
Latin
Latin
firmus
“Firm, steadfast, strong.”
1952
English
fermium
“Proposed name for the newly discovered synthetic element 100, honoring Enrico Fermi.”
Modern English
English
fermium
“The accepted name of element 100, a highly radioactive artificial element.”