Aluminum

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /əˈlu.mɪ.nəm/

Definitions

1. A malleable and conductive silver-white metal used widely in industries like transportation and packaging due to its low weight and resistance to rust
2. A lightweight metal with a silvery appearance that is commonly utilized in a variety of fields including aerospace and food packaging thanks to its durability and low density
3. A silvery metal that is both lightweight and resistant to corrosion, often employed in construction, manufacturing, and transportation applications for its versatility and strength

Etymology: Humphry Davy, the British chemist, first proposed the name in 1807 as "alumium," for the metal he believed was locked inside alum, the astringent mineral salt used in dyeing and tanning. He had not yet isolated it, and the element was still unknown in pure form. By 1812 he had settled on the spelling "aluminum" in print, the form that became standard in American usage. The root is the Latin "alumen," meaning alum, a word that also gave English "alum" itself. The ending "-um" is the ordinary Latin neuter suffix, the same one found in "sodium" and "potassium," which Davy was also naming around this time. In effect, the name records a metal known only through the salt it was thought to hide.

Synonyms: aluminium, metal