The Collaborative International Dictionary
ekasilicon
Germanium \Ger*ma"ni*um\, n. [NL., fr. L. Germania Germany.] (Chem.) A rare element, discovered in 1885 in a silver ore (argyrodite) at Freiberg. It is a brittle, silver-white metal, chemically intermediate between the metals and nonmetals, resembles tin, and is in general identical with the predicted ekasilicon. Symbol Ge. Atomic number 32. Atomic weight 72.59. It has excellent semiconductor properties, and is used in transistors and diodes.
Wiktionary
ekasilicon
n. (context chemistry element obsolete English) The predicted element lying below silicon in the periodic table — later named (term: germanium).