iridium
UK[ɪˈrɪd.i.əm]US[ɪˈrɪd.i.əm]
n
A very hard, brittle, silvery-white metallic element, used especially in making alloys for scientific instruments and electrical contacts.
Morpheme Breakdown
irid
ium
irid
rainbow
ium
chemical element suffix
Etymology
The name 'iridium' is a modern scientific coinage derived from classical mythology. It was discovered in 1803 by English chemist Smithson Tennant in the residue left when crude platinum is dissolved. He named it after Iris, the Greek goddess of the rainbow and messenger of the gods, because of the striking and varied colors of its salts in solution. The suffix '-ium' standardly marks it as a metallic element, completing a name that literally means "the rainbow element", linking its colorful compounds to its divine namesake.
Analysis
Structure: irid (rainbow) + ium (chemical element suffix)
- irid: From Latin 'iris, irid-' meaning "rainbow". In this word, it functions as the root indicating a property (iridescence).
- ium: A Neo-Latin suffix used to form names of metallic elements.
Examples
The extreme hardness and high melting point of iridium make it ideal for the tips of high-quality pen nibs.
A layer of clay rich in iridium is considered key evidence for the asteroid impact that may have caused the dinosaurs' extinction.
The spark plugs in some performance engines use a fine wire of iridium for greater durability and efficiency.