C19: New Latin glucina beryllium oxide, from Greek glukus sweet + -in; alluding to the sweet taste of some of the salts
beryllium in British English
(bɛˈrɪlɪəm)
noun
a corrosion-resistant toxic silvery-white metallic element that occurs chiefly in beryl and is used mainly in X-ray windows and in the manufacture of alloys. Symbol: Be; atomic no: 4; atomic wt: 9.012; valency: 2; relative density: 1.848; melting pt: 1289°C; boiling pt: 2472°C
Former names: glucinum, glucinium
Word origin
C19: from Latin bēryllus, from Greek bērullos, beryl