[al-kuh-lahyn-urth, -lin-] 
| any of the group of bivalent metals including barium, radium, strontium, calcium, and, usually, magnesium, the hydroxides of which are alkalis but less soluble than those of the alkali metals. |
alkaline-earth metal n.
Any of a group of metallic elements including calcium, strontium, magnesium, barium, beryllium, and radium.
| alkaline-earth metal
Any of a group of metallic elements that includes beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, and radium. Because the alkaline-earth metals have two electrons in their outer shell, they react easily with other elements and are found in nature only in compounds. See Periodic Table. |