nihonium

noun

Etymology: From Japanese 日本 (Nihon, “Japan”) + -ium. Promulgated in June 2016 by the IUPAC based on recommendations of the RIKEN Nishina Center for Accelerator-Based Science to honor the country where the element was discovered. Doublet of nipponium.

1. The synthetic transactinide chemical element with atomic number 113.

   “Japanese scientists behind the discovery of element 113, the first atomic element found in Asia - indeed, the first found outside Europe or the United States - have dubbed it "nihonium" after the Japanese-language name for their country.”

   “In January 2016 the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) announced the discovery of four new elements, so completing the seventh row of the periodic table. They have since been named as nihonium, Nh, muscovium^([sic]), Mc, tennessine, Ts, and organesson^([sic]), Og. The procedures for naming new elements are clearly laid out by IUPAC.”