palladium

[ puh-ley-dee-uhm ]

nounChemistry.
  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. Symbol: Pd; atomic weight: 106.4; atomic number: 46; specific gravity: 12 at 20°C.

Origin of palladium

1
Special use of Palladium; named (1803) after the asteroid Pallas, then newly discovered; see -ium

Other definitions for Palladium (2 of 2)

Palladium
[ puh-ley-dee-uhm ]

noun,plural Pal·la·di·a [puh-ley-dee-uh]. /pəˈleɪ di ə/.
  1. 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.

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

Origin of Palladium

2
<Latin Palladium<Greek Palládion, noun use of neuter of Palládios of Pallas, equivalent to Pallad- (stem of Pallás) Pallas + -ios adj. suffix

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British Dictionary definitions for palladium (1 of 3)

palladium1

/ (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

Origin of palladium

1
C19: named after the asteroid Pallas, at the time (1803) a recent discovery

British Dictionary definitions for palladium (2 of 3)

palladium2

/ (pəˈleɪdɪəm) /


noun
  1. something believed to ensure protection; safeguard

Origin of palladium

2
C17: after the Palladium

British Dictionary definitions for Palladium (3 of 3)

Palladium

/ (pəˈleɪdɪəm) /


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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for palladium

palladium

[ pə-lādē-əm ]


Pd
  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. See Periodic Table.

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