cobalt
Pronunciation: /ˈkəʊbɔːlt, -ɒlt/
noun
- the chemical element of atomic number 27, a hard silvery-white magnetic metal. (Symbol: Co)
- cobalt blue:
- Cobalt is chiefly obtained as a by-product from nickel and copper ores. It is a transition metal similar in many respects to nickel and is mainly used as a component of magnetic alloys and those designed for use at high temperatures
Origin:
late 17th century: from German Kobalt 'imp, demon' (because the presence of cobalt-bearing ore made it more difficult to extract silver, and miners believed that it was harmful to the silver ore with which it occurred)