magnesium

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a light silver-white ductile bivalent metallic element; in pure form it burns with brilliant white flame; occurs naturally only in combination (as in magnesite and dolomite and carnallite and spinel and olivine)

Etymology

From New Latin magnēsium, from Ancient Greek μαγνησία (magnēsía), after Μαγνησία (Magnēsía, “Magnesia”), a region in Thessaly. Coined by British chemist Humphry Davy, as a modification of his original suggestion, magnium.

In classic literature

Synonyms

Mg, atomic number 12

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