Cyamus

/ˈsaɪ.ə.məs/ noun

Definition

An archaic or obsolete term in chemistry referring to a cyanogen-containing substance or compound.

Etymology

From Latin/Greek cyan- (blue-producing) with Latin masculine singular ending -us. This term is largely obsolete and appears primarily in historical chemical texts from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Kelly Says

Cyamus is a ghost word in chemistry—rarely used today but it shows how scientists once tried to give Latin-like authority to their new chemical discoveries, following the naming traditions of botanists and anatomists.

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