Chem. [f. Gr. κρυπτόν, neuter of κρυπτός hidden, concealed.] The name given to a rare gas discovered by Ramsay, and announced as a new ‘element,’ in 1898.
1898. Westm. Gaz., 7 June, 4/3. M. Berthelot read a letter from Professor Ramsay,… giving the first announcement of another discovery…. This new gas he proposes to call krypton.
1898. Sir W. Crookes, Addr. Brit. Assoc., 19. During the course of the present year he [Prof. Ramsay] has announced the existence of no fewer than three new gases—krypton, neon, and metargon.
1899. Hazell’s Ann., 83. Krypton forms a fifth constituent of the atmosphere, but is present in very minute quantities.
1899. L. Dobbin, Ladenburg’s Develop. Chem., xvi. 347. In the case of crypton, the ratio of the specific heats has been ascertained to be 1·66, so that this gas is also a monatomic element.
