magnesium
UK: mæɡˈniːziəm | US: mæɡˈniːziəm
n. A silver-white metallic chemical element (symbol Mg), essential for biological life and widely used in alloys and industry.
magnesium = magnes<magnet> + ium<chemical element suffix>
- magnes (from Latin magnes, meaning "magnet"): Derived from Greek magnēs lithos ("Magnesian stone"), a magnetic mineral found in Magnesia (a region in ancient Greece).
- ium (suffix): A modern Latin suffix used to name metallic elements (e.g., sodium, calcium).
Etymology Origin:
The word magnesium traces back to the ancient Greek region Magnesia, known for its magnetic minerals. Though magnesium itself is not magnetic, its name was coined in 1808 by Sir Humphry Davy, who isolated the element from magnesia alba (a magnesium-containing mineral). The suffix -ium follows the convention for naming metallic elements.
Magnesium is crucial for muscle and nerve function in the human body.
The alloy contains 10% magnesium to improve its strength-to-weight ratio.
Plants require magnesium for chlorophyll production.
A magnesium fire is difficult to extinguish with water.
The chemist analyzed the sample for traces of magnesium.