Rhodium
/ˈroʊdiəm/noun
A rare, silvery-white metallic chemical element used especially for plating and catalytic converters.
Did you know?The element was named in 1804 by William Hyde Wollaston after the pinkish-red color of one of its compounds, tying a modern precious metal to the ancient Greek word for a rose.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
rhodon
“rose”
Late Latin
Latin
rhodium
“a rose-colored substance or related chemical name”
1804
English
rhodium
“newly identified metallic element named for the rose-red color of one of its salts”
Modern English
English
rhodium
“the chemical element with atomic number 45”
Explore more surprising origins