Tellurium
/tɛˈljʊə.ri.əm/noun
A brittle, rare metalloid element used in alloys, semiconductors, and some industrial applications.
Did you know?Its name was coined in 1798 by Martin Heinrich Klaproth from Latin *tellus* (“earth”), making it one of chemistry’s most literally planetary names.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*telh₂-
“earth, ground”
Latin
Latin
tellus
“earth, land, ground”
1798
Latin
tellurium
“a newly named chemical element, from Latin *tellus*”
Modern English
English
tellurium
“the chemical element tellurium”