sodium

American  

[soh-dee-uhm] / ˈsoʊ di əm /

noun

1. Chemistry. a soft, silver-white, metallic element that oxidizes rapidly in moist air, occurring in nature only in the combined state, and used in the synthesis of sodium peroxide, sodium cyanide, and tetraethyllead: a necessary element in the body for the maintenance of normal fluid balance and other physiological functions. Na; 22.9898; 11; 0.97 at 20°C.

2. Medicine/Medical, Pharmacology. any salt of sodium, as sodium chloride or sodium bicarbonate, present in or added to foods or beverages as a seasoning or preservative and used in many pharmaceutical products as an antacid, anticoagulant, or other agent.

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sodium British  

/ ˈsəʊdɪəm /

noun

1. 1. a very reactive soft silvery-white element of the alkali metal group occurring principally in common salt, Chile saltpetre, and cryolite. Sodium and potassium ions maintain the essential electrolytic balance in living cells. It is used in the production of chemicals, in metallurgy, and, alloyed with potassium, as a cooling medium in nuclear reactors. Symbol: Na; atomic no: 11; atomic wt: 22.989768; valency: 1; relative density: 0.971; melting pt: 97.81±0.03°C; boiling pt: 892.9°C

   2. ( as modifier )

      sodium light

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sodium Scientific  

/ sō′dē-əm /

1. A soft, lightweight, silvery-white metallic element of the alkali group that reacts explosively with water. It is the most abundant alkali metal on Earth, occurring especially in common salt. Sodium is very malleable, and its compounds have many important uses in industry. Atomic number 11; atomic weight 22.99; melting point 97.8°C; boiling point 892°C; specific gravity 0.971; valence 1.

2. See Periodic Table

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Etymology

Origin of sodium

From New Latin, dating back to 1800–10; soda, -ium

Compare meaning

How does sodium compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• potassium vs. sodium

Example Sentences

Electrolytes - minerals like sodium, potassium and magnesium - help regulate nerves, muscles and fluid balance in the body.

From BBC

Anything that needs a little bit of sodium or flavor to it, it just really lends itself nicely.

From The Wall Street Journal

Hot dogs and other processed meats contain a lot of sodium, which can raise blood pressure, for example.

From The Wall Street Journal

"The baddies that you want to look out for… is your mineral oil, your sodium lauryl sulfate, parfum, benzel peroxide" being high up on the ingredients list, Miss Truman says.

From BBC

Two Iranian ships have been sailing from China with tons of sodium perchlorate, a main ingredient for producing solid propellant for ballistic missiles, The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this year.

From The Wall Street Journal