manganese

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈmæŋ.ɡəˌniz/, /ˈmæŋ.ɡəˌnis/; /ˈmæŋ.ɡəˌniːz/ (UK)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from French manganèse,^{[2][3][4][5][6]} from Italian manganese,^{[2][3][4][5][6]} an unexplained alteration of Medieval Latin magnēsia (see magnesia).^[2][3][4][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

A black mineral, now known to be an oxide of manganese, used since ancient times in glassmaking to remove colour (1676).^[7][3][4][6]

Semantic evolution

Chemists studied the compounds of manganese from the mid-18th century, and the metal was isolated by Gahn in 1774.^[4] The name of the black mineral was transferred to the metallic element, of which it is the oxide, in 1783,^[7][4][5][6] though for years there was confusion over the name before manganese (German Mangan) was generally adopted in the early 19th century.^[4]

Timeline

• 1676 – black manganese ore.^[7][3]
• 1774 – the metal isolated.^[4]
• 1783 – the metallic element.^[7][4][5]
• 1842 – manganese ore, manganese mine.^[7]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. A grey-white, hard, brittle metallic element, symbol Mn, atomic number 25, resembling iron but not magnetic, used especially in alloys such as steel to add strength and hardness, and in batteries and fertilizers.

Word family

• manganesian
• ferromanganese
• mangan-
• manganic
• manganiferous
• manganin
• manganite
• mangano-

Related words

• manganate
• permanganate
• magnesia
• magnesium
• magnet

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
3. ^ a b c d e Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ a b c d e Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b c d e Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press