The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Germanium \Ger*ma"ni*um\, n. [NL., fr. L. Germania Germany.]
   (Chem.)
   A rare element, discovered in 1885 in a silver ore
   (argyrodite) at Freiberg. It is a brittle, silver-white
   metal, chemically intermediate between the metals and
   nonmetals, resembles tin, and is in general identical with
   the predicted ekasilicon. Symbol Ge. Atomic number 32.
   Atomic weight 72.59. It has excellent semiconductor
   properties, and is used in transistors and diodes.
   [1913 Webster +PJC]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Ekasilicon \Ek`a*sil"i*con\, n. [Skr. [=e]ka one + E. silicon.]
   (Chem.)
   The name of a hypothetical element predicted by Mendeleev and
   afterwards discovered and named germanium; -- so called
   because it was a missing analogue of the silicon group. See
   Germanium, and cf. Ekabor. Also see periodic table.
   [1913 Webster +PJC]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

germanium
    n 1: a brittle grey crystalline element that is a semiconducting
         metalloid (resembling silicon) used in transistors; occurs
         in germanite and argyrodite [syn: germanium, Ge,
         atomic number 32]

The Elements (07Nov00):

germanium
Symbol: Ge
Atomic number: 32
Atomic weight: 72.59
Lustrous hard metalloid element, belongs to group 14 of the periodic
table. Forms a large number of organometallic compounds. Predicted by
Mendeleev in 1871, it was actually found in 1886 by Winkler.