Plumbic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to or containing lead in the +4 oxidation state, especially in chemical compounds
2. Of, containing, or derived from lead with a valence of four
3. Describing a chemical compound or ion in which lead has a valence of four

Etymology: "Plumbic" is a chemistry term for compounds of lead in which the metal has its higher valence, as in plumbic oxide. The word is built from the Latin "plumbum," meaning lead, plus the suffix "-ic," which forms adjectives meaning "of or relating to." Its formation was not simply a borrowing from Latin, though. English chemists based it on a French model: "plombique," coined from French "plomb" (lead) and the suffix "-ique," the French counterpart of "-ic." The word's pattern shows how early chemists named elements and their compounds. Lead itself already had a Latin name, and the adjective "plumbic" was created to pair with terms like "plumbous," which is used for the lower-valence compounds. The two words together let chemists distinguish between the two states of lead without needing a new word for each compound.

Synonyms: leaden, lead