A chemical element of the alkali group of metals, present in living beings. The name was given to it by the British Humphry Davy who took it from the German pottaschen ("ashtray") for the color, although also the English pot ashes means the same thing. Its symbol 'K' comes from the Latin name kalium, which may be taken from the Arabic 1602; 1604; 1610; 1577; (kalia "ash, burnt remainder, minutia").
