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palladium
[ puh-ley-dee-uhm ]
/ pəˈleɪ di əm /
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noun Chemistry.
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. Symbol: Pd; atomic weight: 106.4; atomic number: 46; specific gravity: 12 at 20°C.
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Words nearby palladium
Palladian window, palladic, palladinize, Palladio, Palladio, Andrea, palladium, palladous, Pallas, Pallas Athena, pallbearer, pallescent
Other definitions for palladium (2 of 2)
Palladium
[ puh-ley-dee-uhm ]
/ pəˈleɪ di əm /
noun, plural Pal·la·di·a [puh-ley-dee-uh]. /pəˈleɪ di ə/.
Also Pal·la·di·on [puh-ley-dee-on]. /pəˈleɪ diˌɒn/. a statue of Athena, especially one on the citadel of Troy on which the safety of the city was supposed to depend.
(usually lowercase) anything believed to provide protection or safety; safeguard.
Origin of Palladium
<Latin Palladium<Greek Palládion, noun use of neuter of Palládios of Pallas, equivalent to Pallad- (stem of Pallás) Pallas + -ios adj. suffix
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use palladium in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for palladium (1 of 3)
palladium1
/ (pəˈleɪdɪəm) /
noun
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
Word Origin for palladium
C19: named after the asteroid Pallas, at the time (1803) a recent discovery
British Dictionary definitions for palladium (2 of 3)
palladium2
/ (pəˈleɪdɪəm) /
noun
something believed to ensure protection; safeguard
Word Origin for palladium
C17: after the Palladium
British Dictionary definitions for palladium (3 of 3)
Palladium
/ (pəˈleɪdɪəm) /
noun
a statue of Pallas Athena, esp the one upon which the safety of Troy depended
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Scientific definitions for palladium
palladium
[ pə-lā′dē-əm ]
Pd
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. See Periodic Table.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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