xenon

American  

[zee-non, zen-on] / ˈzi nɒn, ˈzɛn ɒn /

noun

Chemistry.

xenons plural

1. a heavy, colorless, chemically inactive, monatomic gaseous element used for filling radio, television, and luminescent tubes. Xe; 131.30; 54.

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xenon British  

/ ˈzɛnɒn /

noun

1. a colourless odourless gaseous element occurring in trace amounts in air; formerly considered inert it is now known to form compounds and is used in radio valves, stroboscopic and bactericidal lamps, and bubble chambers. Symbol: Xe; atomic no: 54; atomic wt: 131.29; valency: 0; density: 5.887 kg/m³; melting pt: –111.76°C; boiling pt: –108.0°C

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xenon Scientific  

/ zē′nŏn′ /

1. A colorless, odorless element in the noble gas group occurring in extremely small amounts in the atmosphere. It was the first noble gas found to form compounds with other elements. Xenon is used in lamps that make intense flashes, such as strobe lights and flashbulbs for photography. Atomic number 54; atomic weight 131.29; melting point −111.9°C; boiling point −107.1°C; density (gas) 5.887 grams per liter; specific gravity (liquid) 3.52 (−109°C).

2. See Periodic Table

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• xenons
  plural

Etymology

Origin of xenon

1898; < Greek xénon, neuter of xénos strange ( see -on ²); name introduced by William Ramsay, the element's discoverer

Explanation

The chemical element xenon is a colorless, odorless gas. The Earth's atmosphere contains just a little bit of xenon. First isolated in 1898 by the same chemists who discovered neon and krypton, this rare element is known for its heaviness. Because it's so scarce, xenon is also expensive, and it's mainly used to create extremely bright, brief flashes of light in specialized equipment like flash lamps. The Greek root of xenon is xenos, "rare or strange."

Example Sentences

Xenon is relatively heavy and therefore unlikely to have simply drifted out of our atmosphere.

From Science Daily • Apr. 24, 2024

Xenon is special, explained experiment physics coordinator Aaron Manalaysay, because it allows researchers to see if a collision is with one of its electrons or with its nucleus.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 7, 2022

In the 1970s, Durst and his wife lived a fast and glitzy life, partying at exclusive Manhattan clubs such as Studio 54 and Xenon.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 10, 2022

Xenon tetrafluoride, XeF4, and xenon hexafluoride, XeF6, are prepared in an analogous manner, with a stoichiometric amount of fluorine and an excess of fluorine, respectively.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

It is not till about 170 B.C. that the grammarians Hellanicus and Xenon put forward the view that Homer was the author of the Iliad, but not of the Odyssey.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 5 "Greek Law" to "Ground-Squirrel" by Various