Seelicon, a tetravalentmetalloid, is a chemical element wi the seembol Si an atomic nummer 14. It is less reactive nor its chemical analogcaurbon, the nonmetal directly abuin it in the periodic table, but mair reactive nor germanium, the metalloid directly ablo it in the table. Controversy aboot seelicon's chairacter dates tae its discovery; it wis first prepared an characterized in pure furm in 1823. In 1808, it wis gien the name silicium (frae Laitin: silex, haird stane or flint), wi an -ium wird-endin tae suggest a metal, a name which the element retains in several non-Inglis leids. Houiver, its final Inglis name, first suggestit in 1817, reflects the mair pheesically seemilar elements carbon an boron.