copernicium

[ koh-per-nis-ee-uhm ]

noun

, Chemistry, Physics.

1. a superheavy, synthetic, radioactive element with a very short half-life. : Cn; : 112.

copernicium

/ kō′pər-nē′sē-əm /

1. Symbol Cn A synthetic radioactive element that has only been produced in trace amounts. The most stable isotope has a mass number of 285 and a half-life of about 34 seconds. Atomic number 112.
2. See Periodic Table

Word History and Origins

Origin of copernicium¹

First recorded in 1005–10; named after Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus.