sodium

[ soh-dee-uhm ]

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.

sodium

/ 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

sodium

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of sodium¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of sodium¹

C19: New Latin, from soda + -ium

Example Sentences

For example, Kuwait recently put a limit the allowable amount of sodium in bread to lower blood pressure.

From The Daily Beast

For all intents and purposes, sodium thiopental is now unavailable in the United States.

From The Daily Beast

Sports drinksSugar and sodium are good things when it comes to sports drinks!

From The Daily Beast

But for more rigorous sweat sessions, the low-sodium drink does come up short in replenishing the salt your body loses.

From The Daily Beast

Other measurements on nutrition labels—calories, fat, sodium—are passive: They simply state how much is in the food.

From The Daily Beast

The metal is then removed, and washed successively with very dilute sodium hydroxid solution, alcohol, and ether.

From Project Gutenberg

This fluid is then heated, adding crystals of sodium acetate until it becomes perfectly clear.

From Project Gutenberg

Rarely, sodium urate occurs in crystalline form—slender prisms, arranged in fan- or sheaf-like structures (Fig. 32).

From Project Gutenberg

Glass rods and tubing of sodium glass: for stirring rods, urinary pipets, etc.

From Project Gutenberg

Sodium and alcohol reduce common camphor to a mixture of d- and l-borneol.

From Project Gutenberg