Jordanite
/ˈdʒɔːr.dən.aɪt/noun
A rare lead arsenate mineral, typically found in hydrothermal ore deposits.
Did you know?Jordanite is named after the German mineralogist Karl Friedrich Jordan, showing how scientific names can preserve human memory like a kind of secular talisman.
Etymological Timeline
1890s
German
Jordanit
“The mineral was named in honor of Karl Friedrich Jordan”
Late 19th Century
English
jordanite
“A mineral species name adopted into English scientific usage”
Modern English
English
jordanite
“A rare lead arsenate mineral”
Modern mineralogy
International scientific Latin
Jordanite
“Standardized mineralogical name”
Explore more surprising origins