Chrome

Chem. [a. F. chrome, f. Gr. χρῶμα color; so called by Vauquelin, 1797, from the brilliant colors of its compounds.]

  1.  The name originally given to the metal CHROMIUM.

1800.  Med. Jrnl., III. 173. Cit. Vauquelin … on a new metallic acid which he discovered in the red lead of Siberia…. It had the property of changing all its saline or earthy combinations to a red or orange colour. This property, and that of producing variegated and beautiful colours when combined with metals, induced him to give it the name of chrôme.

1808.  Henry, Epit. Chem. (ed. 5), 260. The emerald derives its colour from the oxide of chrome; and the ruby from the acid.

1832.  G. R. Porter, Porcelain & Gl., 277. The protoxide of chromium may be used for producing a green colour in glass…. Chrome is the natural colouring matter of the precious emerald.

1837.  J. Macculloch, Proofs Attrib. God, III. xlv. 182. The existence of Chrome was unsuspected.

1871.  Hartwig, Subterr. W., xxxi. 385. Chrome, like cobalt, is used chiefly as a pigment.

  2.  Applied to the yellow pigment and color obtained from chromate of lead; as orange chrome, lemon chrome.

  3.  attrib. and Comb., as chrome alum, a double sulphate of chromium and an alkali-metal, isomorphous with common alum; chrome colo(u)r, a color prepared from a salt of chromium; chrome green, (a.) the sesquioxide of chromium (Cr₂ O₂), much used as a pigment; also (b.) applied to a pigment made by mixing chrome yellow with Prussian blue; chrome iron ore (also called chrome iron-stone, chrome iron, chrome ore, chromate of iron, chromite), the most abundant ore of chromium, consisting chiefly of chromic oxide (Cr₂ O₃) and ferrous oxide (Fe O); chrome ochre, an argillaceous mineral containing chromic oxide (Cr₂ O₃); chrome orange, chrome red, pigments prepared from the dibasic chromate of lead (2 Pb O, Cr O₃); chrome yellow, the neutral chromate of lead (Pb Cr O₄), used as a yellow pigment; also attrib.

1879.  Watts, Dict. Chem., I. 934. With Prussian blue it [chrome-yellow] forms a green mixture, called *chrome-green, or green cinnabar. Ibid., I. 949. Chromic oxide … forming one of the most permanent greens, called chrome-green.

1869.  Roscoe, Elem. Chem., 245. The chief ore is *chrome Ironstone, a compound isomorphous with Magnetic Oxide of Iron.

1805.  Jameson, Min., II. 523. *Chrome ochre.

1819.  Blackw. Mag., v. 738. A new and beautiful yellow pigrnent called *chrome yellow or chromate of lead.

1859.  Todd, Cycl. Anat., V. 562/2. The chrome-yellow colour of the walls.