Jul 2 2012: The word chemistry comes from the word alchemy, an earlier set of practices that encompassed elements of chemistry, metallurgy, philosophy, astrology, astronomy, mysticism and medicine; it is commonly thought of as the quest to turn lead or another common starting material into gold. The word alchemy in turn is derived from the Arabic word al-kīmīā (الكيمياء), meaning alchemy. The Arabic term is borrowed from the Greek χημία or χημεία. This may have Egyptian origins. Many believe that al-kīmīā is derived from χημία, which is in turn derived from the word Chemi or Kimi, which is the ancient name of Egypt in Egyptian. Alternately, al-kīmīā may be derived from χημεία, meaning "cast together".
Definition for algorithm - Oxford Dictionaries Online
Origin: late 17th century (denoting the Arabic or decimal notation of numbers): variant (influenced by Greek arithmos 'number') of Middle English algorism, via Old French from medieval Latin algorismus. The Arabic source, al-Ḵwārizmī 'the man of Ḵwārizm' (now Khiva), was a name given to the 9th-century mathematician Abū Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Mūsa, author of widely translated works on algebra and arithmetic
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A reply on Talk: Terry Moore: Why is 'x' the unknown?
Definition for algorithm - Oxford Dictionaries Online
Origin: late 17th century (denoting the Arabic or decimal notation of numbers): variant (influenced by Greek arithmos 'number') of Middle English algorism, via Old French from medieval Latin algorismus. The Arabic source, al-Ḵwārizmī 'the man of Ḵwārizm' (now Khiva), was a name given to the 9th-century mathematician Abū Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Mūsa, author of widely translated works on algebra and arithmetic