palladium

¹ American  

[puh-ley-dee-uhm] / pəˈleɪ di əm /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a rare metallic element of the platinum group, silver-white, ductile and malleable, harder and fusing more readily than platinum: used chiefly as a catalyst and in dental and other alloys. Pd; 106.4; 46; 12 at 20°C.

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Palladium ² American  

[puh-ley-dee-uhm] / pəˈleɪ di əm /

noun

plural

Palladia

1. Also Palladion a statue of Athena, especially one on the citadel of Troy on which the safety of the city was supposed to depend.

2. (usually lowercase) anything believed to provide protection or safety; safeguard.

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palladium ¹ British  

/ pəˈleɪdɪəm /

noun

1. something believed to ensure protection; safeguard

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Palladium ² British  

/ pəˈleɪdɪəm /

noun

1. a statue of Pallas Athena, esp the one upon which the safety of Troy depended

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palladium ³ British  

/ pəˈleɪdɪəm /

noun

1. a ductile malleable silvery-white element of the platinum metal group occurring principally in nickel-bearing ores: used as a hydrogenation catalyst and, alloyed with gold, in jewellery. Symbol: Pd; atomic no: 46; atomic wt: 106.42; valency: 2, 3, or 4; relative density: 1202; melting pt: 1555°C; boiling pt: 2964°C

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palladium Scientific  

/ pə-lā′dē-əm /

1. A malleable, ductile, grayish-white metallic element that occurs naturally with platinum. It is used as a catalyst in hydrogenation and in alloys for making electrical contacts and jewelry. Atomic number 46; atomic weight 106.4; melting point 1,552°C; boiling point 3,140°C; specific gravity 12.02 (20°C); valence 2, 3, 4.

2. See Periodic Table

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Etymology

Origin of palladium¹

Special use of Palladium; named (1803) after the asteroid Pallas, then newly discovered; -ium

Origin of Palladium²

< Latin Palladium < Greek Palládion, noun use of neuter of Palládios of Pallas, equivalent to Pallad- (stem of Pallás ) Pallas + -ios adj. suffix

Explanation

Palladium is an extremely valuable precious metal. Closely related to platinum, palladium is also silvery-white and shiny. When William Hyde Wollaston discovered palladium in 1803, he named it after one of the largest known asteroids, Pallas. Earlier, the word had been used to mean "a source of protection," inspired by the Greek goddess Athena, who was commonly referred to as Pallas. The precious metal shares chemical properties with many others, and it's used to clean the exhaust from cars, as well as in jewelry and electronics.

Example Sentences

Catalytic converters need rare elements like palladium and platinum, precious metals more at home in a jewelry box than in a car.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Dead batteries yield lithium, cobalt and nickel; LED screens contain germanium; circuit boards hold platinum and palladium; hard disks store rare earths -- e‑waste has long been described as a "gold mine" for critical minerals.

From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026

Prices for silver, platinum and palladium, meanwhile, could falter if global growth slows or there is a recession in a major economy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

Analysts’ estimates for platinum’s average price range between $2,100 and $2,450 an ounce, with palladium between $1,600 and $1,725 an ounce.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

Zinc, iron and palladium, three times that of mercury, and sodium, six times that of mercury.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 3 "Capefigue" to "Carneades" by Various