Molybdenum is a
chemical element with symbol
Mo and
atomic number 42. The name is from
Neo-Latin molybdaenum, from
Ancient Greek , meaning
lead, since its ores were confused with lead ores. Molybdenum minerals have been known throughout history, but the element was discovered (in the sense of differentiating it as a new entity from the mineral salts of other metals) in 1778 by
Carl Wilhelm Scheele. The metal was first isolated in 1781 by
Peter Jacob Hjelm.