plumbago
Meaning
a former name for the mineral graphite, used in pencils.
a plant of the genus *Plumbago*, with blue, white, or pink flowers.
Structure
Usage
early chemists often referred to the black mineral used in pencils as plumbago.
the garden featured a beautiful trellis covered in blue plumbago.
before its chemical composition was understood, plumbago was mistakenly thought to contain lead.
Etymology
the word 'plumbago' is a direct borrowing from latin, where 'plumbum' meant 'lead'. the term was historically applied to the mineral graphite because its metallic, grey appearance and use in marking resembled lead. the suffix '-ago' is a latin nominal suffix used to form nouns denoting a substance or resemblance, thus 'plumbago' literally means 'lead-like substance'. this nomenclature persisted in scientific and common use until the substance was more accurately identified as a form of carbon and renamed 'graphite'.
Analysis
plumb (latin, 'plumbum', meaning 'lead', the metal) + ago (latin, noun-forming suffix indicating a property, substance, or resemblance)