means A rare, silvery-white precious metal (element 45) prized for its corrosion resistance and brilliant shine, used heavily in catalytic converters and as a finish for fine jewelry.

from From the Greek 'rhodon,' meaning rose — named for the rosy-red color of its salt solutions, which is what first caught the eye of English chemist William Hyde Wollaston when he isolated it in the early 19th century from crude platinum ore. The same root blooms in the flower 'rhododendron' (literally 'rose-tree') and the island of Rhodes, said to be named for its roses.