Plumbum
/ˈplʊm.bʊm/noun
The Latin word for lead, the heavy metallic element.
Did you know?In Roman and medieval alchemical traditions, lead was linked with Saturn, the cold planet of limitation and time, making plumbum one of the most symbolically loaded metals in history.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pleu-
“to flow, float”
Latin
Latin
plumbum
“lead; the soft heavy metal”
Late Latin
Latin
plumbarius
“worker in lead; lead-worker”
Old French
Old French
plomb
“lead; a lead weight or seal”
Middle English
English
plumbe, plom
“lead; a lead weight used as a sinker or level”
Modern English
English
plumb
“to test verticality with a lead weight; to examine deeply”