How did zinc get its name?

According to the Random House Dictionary, the word Zinc likely comes from the German word "zinke," which means prong or tine, and may refer to the jagged form it takes when in a furnace. The name was probably first used by the German chemist Paracelsus in the 16th century.

Zinc is a necessary trace element in the human body, has many commercial applications and is one of the most widely used metals, according to data from the Encyclopedia Britannica. Zinc metal is primarily used for galvanizing iron and steel against corrosion and for making alloys for die-casting. Zinc is atomic number 30 on the periodic table of elements and is designated by the symbol Zn.