Chem. Rarely (and obs.) baryum. [f. BAR-YTA, -YTES + -IUM; cf. soda, sodium. Davy purposely discarded the second syllable of baryta, as in his proposed alumium from alumina, and magnium from magnesia.] A white metallic element, not found native, but as the basis of the alkaline earth baryta. First separated by Sir H. Davy in 1808.
1808. Sir H. Davy, in Phil. Trans., XCVIII. 346. I shall venture to denominate the metals from the alkaline earths, barium, strontium, calcium, and magnium.
1819. [See BARIA].
1873. Watts, Fownes’ Chem., 357. Barium occurs as sulphate and carbonate, forming the veinstone in many lead mines.
attrib. 1869. Roscoe, Chem., 221. Barium compounds occur somewhat more widely dispersed than those of strontium.
