From Middle English
arsenik, from Middle French
arsenic, from
Latin arsenicum, from Ancient Greek
ἀρσενικόν (arsenikon, “yellow arsenic”) (influenced by
ἀρσενικός (arsenikos, “potent, virile”)), from
Semitic (compare Classical Syriac
ܙܪܢܝܟܐ (zarnīḵā),
Aramaic (zarnīḵā)), from Middle Iranian
*zarnīk (compare Persian
زرنی (zarnī, “arsenic”)), from Old Iranian
*zarniya-ka- (compare Avestan (zaraniia-, “golden”), Old Persian (daraniya-, “gold”),
Sanskrit हिरण्य (híraṇya, “gold”), Persian
زر (zar, “gold”)), ultimately from
Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰelh₃i. More at
yellow.