copernicium
[ koh-per-nis-ee-uhm ]
nounChemistry, Physics.
a superheavy, synthetic, radioactive element with a very short half-life. Symbol: Cn; atomic number: 112.
Origin of copernicium
1First recorded in 1005–10; named after Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus.
- Formerly un·un·bi·um [uh-nuhn-bee-uhm], /əˈnʌn bi əm/, el·e·ment 112 .
Words Nearby copernicium
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Scientific definitions for copernicium
copernicium
[ kō′pər-nē′sē-əm ]
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. See Periodic Table.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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