# Why is the symbol for arsenic As? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 25, 2017, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-symbol-for-arsenic-as/785196 "2017-04-25T09:26:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-symbol-for-arsenic-as/785196/21 "2017-04-28T03:27:06Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > So my guess that it involved the way British chemists pronounced arsenic seems to be wrong. Just like my guess involving Arabic morphemes was wrong! ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-symbol-for-arsenic-as/785196/22 "2017-04-28T12:42:54Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > It is now, but Berzelius initially (or at some point) assigned St But according to his own rule: Stannum Stibium Both start with St so neither should ever be able to use St Move onto first different consonant and you get the proper Sn and Sb. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-symbol-for-arsenic-as/785196/23 "2017-04-28T14:34:32Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > But according to his own rule: > > Stannum > Stibium > > Both start with St so neither should ever be able to use St > > Move onto first different consonant and you get the proper Sn and Sb. See post #13. :smack: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-symbol-for-arsenic-as/785196.md?page=1)