palladium
The origin and history of palladium.
Etymology
The metal was named in 1803 after the asteroid Pallas, which itself was named for Pallas Athena. The older "safeguard" sense comes from the Palladium, a sacred statue of Athena believed to protect the city of Troy.
Class of 1803
palladium first entered the language around 1803. Other words from the same year:
See the full Class of 1803 →