chromium
Americannoun
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a lustrous, hard, brittle, metallic element used in alloy steels for hardness and corrosion resistance, as in stainless steel, and for plating other metals: chromium salts are used as pigments and mordants. Cr; 51.996; 24; 7.1.
noun
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A hard, shiny, steel-gray metallic element that is rust-resistant and does not tarnish easily. It is used to plate other metals, to harden steel, and to make stainless steel and other alloys. Atomic number 24; atomic weight 51.996; melting point 1,890°C; boiling point 2,482°C; specific gravity 7.18; valence 2, 3, 6.
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See Periodic Table
Etymology
Origin of chromium
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.
"Waste stored since the communist era or produced by current factories contains chromium, nickel and zinc," Mehmeti said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
She wrote in her report that “heavy metals, notably lead, zinc, copper, chromium, arsenic, and antimony, were detected above laboratory reporting limits.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
Even 254SMO super stainless steel, considered a benchmark chromium based corrosion resistant alloy with excellent resistance to pitting in seawater, faces this problem.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026
Ehrlich accepted the bet and chose copper, chromium, tin, nickel and tungsten.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 17, 2026
Over it, in a gleaming chromium frame, was a big square of parchment—a poem.
From "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie
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