cerium
Americannoun
noun
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A shiny, gray metallic element of the lanthanide series. It is ductile and malleable and is used in electronic components, alloys, and lighter flints. It is also used in glass polishing, as a catalyst in self-cleaning ovens, and in various nuclear applications. Atomic number 58; atomic weight 140.12; melting point 795°C; boiling point 3,468°C; specific gravity 6.67 to 8.23; valence 3, 4.
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See Periodic Table
Etymology
Origin of cerium
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.
To test the idea, the researchers created a crystal composed of cerium, palladium, and silicon.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 8, 2026
Valor has designed reusable ligands for 10 elements, including gold, copper, platinum, nickel and a number of otherwise difficult-to-isolate rare earths, including cerium, dysprosium and yttrium.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 11, 2026
Rare earth elements are mentioned in 17 licences, with more permits referencing specific rare earths such as cerium or terbium.
From Barron's ● Feb. 14, 2026
"The objective of the liquid separation unit will be to purify cerium on one side, lanthanum on the other side," explains production manager Florian Gouneau as we walk up a flight of metal stairs.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2025
The mineral is associated with quartz, dolomite, pyrites, and the rare mineral called “parisite”—a fluo-carbonate of the cerium metals, occurring in brownish-yellow hexagonal crystals, and named after J.J.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 3 "Electrostatics" to "Engis" by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
