Iridium
/ˈɪrɪdiəm/noun
A hard, brittle, silvery-white metallic element that is one of the densest known substances.
Did you know?Iridium was named in 1803 by Smithson Tennant from Greek Iris, the rainbow goddess, because its compounds showed a startling range of colors.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἶρις (îris)
“Rainbow; also the goddess Iris, messenger of the gods.”
Late Latin
Latin
iridis
“Of the rainbow.”
1803
English
iridium
“A newly identified metallic element named for the rainbow-colored compounds of its salts.”
Modern English
English
iridium
“The chemical element with atomic number 77.”
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