bismuth

American

[biz-muhth] / ˈbɪz məθ /

noun

Chemistry.

a brittle, grayish-white, red-tinged, metallic element used in the manufacture of fusible alloys and in medicine. Bi; 208.980; 83.

bismuth British

/ ˈbɪzməθəl, ˈbɪzməθ /

noun

a brittle pinkish-white crystalline metallic element having low thermal and electrical conductivity, which expands on cooling. It is widely used in alloys, esp low-melting alloys in fire safety devices; its compounds are used in medicines. Symbol: Bi; atomic no: 83; atomic wt: 208.98037; valency: 3 or 5; relative density: 9.747; melting pt: 271.4°C; boiling pt: 1564±5°C

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

bismuth Scientific

/ bĭz′məth /

A brittle, pinkish-white, crystalline metallic element that occurs in nature as a free metal and in various ores. Bismuth is the most strongly diamagnetic element and has the highest atomic number of all stable elements. It is used to make low-melting alloys for fire-safety devices. Atomic number 83; atomic weight 208.98; melting point 271.3°C; boiling point 1,560°C; specific gravity 9.747; valence 3, 5.
See Periodic Table

Other Word Forms

bismuthal

adjective

Etymology

Origin of bismuth

1660–70; earlier bismutum < New Latin bisemūtum, Latinized form of German Wissmuth (now Wismut ) < ?

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The material used in the experiment, bismuth selenide, displayed especially unusual behavior.

From Science Daily • May 24, 2026

In addition, because the researchers used bismuth in the proof-of-concept work, they were able to make structures that are photo-responsive.

From Science Daily • Dec. 2, 2024

The bismuth sheets the team made are only a few nanometers thick.

From Science Daily • May 21, 2024

A: Bismuth subsalicylate, the active ingredient in Pepto Bismol, can react with the sulfur in your mouth to form bismuth sulfide.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 24, 2024

Of or pertaining to bismuth; containing bismuth, when this element has its higher valence; as, bismuthic oxide.

From Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (2nd 100 Pages) by Webster, Noah

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023