Stephanite
/ˈstɛf.ə.naɪt/noun
A dark gray to black mineral composed chiefly of silver sulfide and antimony sulfide.
Did you know?The mineral’s name belongs to the same Greek naming tradition as Stephen and Stephanie, both ultimately connected with stephanos, a crown or wreath.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*stebh-
“To wind, encircle, or make firm; a proposed ancestral root connected with the idea of a crown or wreath.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
στέφανος (stéphanos)
“A crown or wreath, especially one awarded as a symbol of victory or honor.”
Late Antiquity
Greek
Stephanos
“A personal name meaning “crown” or “crowned one,” later associated with Saint Stephen.”
19th Century
German
Stephanit
“The German mineral name formed with Stephan- and the mineral suffix -it.”
1840s
German
Stephanit
“A mineral name used for the silver-antimony sulfide mineral, reportedly honoring Archduke Stephan of Austria.”
Modern English
English
stephanite
“The established English name for the mineral, also called brittle silver ore.”