chromium

American  

[kroh-mee-uhm] / ˈkroʊ mi əm /

noun

1. 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.

2. chrome.

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chromium British  

/ ˈkrəʊmɪəm /

noun

1. a hard grey metallic element that takes a high polish, occurring principally in chromite: used in steel alloys and electroplating to increase hardness and corrosion-resistance. Symbol: Cr; atomic no: 24; atomic wt: 51.9961; valency: 2, 3, or 6; relative density: 7.18–7.20; melting pt: 1863±20°C; boiling pt: 2672°C

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chromium Scientific  

/ krō′mē-əm /

1. 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.

2. See Periodic Table

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Etymology

Origin of chromium

First recorded in 1800–10; chrome + -ium

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chromium

Residents can collect soil samples and deliver them to Boyle Heights City Hall and other locations for an evaluation of lead, arsenic, chromium and mercury levels.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

Ehrlich accepted the bet and chose copper, chromium, tin, nickel and tungsten.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 17, 2026

Zimbabwe has some of Africa's largest lithium reserves, as well as chromium, cobalt and rare earth minerals.

From BBC ● Mar. 14, 2026

The continent is loaded with copper, chromium, lithium and rare earths.

From MarketWatch ● Dec. 16, 2025

Over it, in a gleaming chromium frame, was a big square of parchment—a poem.

From "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie