beryllium

[ buh-ril-ee-uhm ]

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a steel-gray, bivalent, hard, light, metallic element, the salts of which are sweet: used chiefly in copper alloys for better fatigue endurance, in springs, and in electrical contacts. : Be; : 9.0122; : 4; : 1.8 at 20° C.

beryllium

/ bɛˈrɪlɪəm /

noun

1. a corrosion-resistant toxic silvery-white metallic element that occurs chiefly in beryl and is used mainly in X-ray windows and in the manufacture of alloys. Symbol: Be; atomic no: 4; atomic wt: 9.012; valency: 2; relative density: 1.848; melting pt: 1289°C; boiling pt: 2472°C Former namesglucinumglucinium

beryllium

/ bə-rĭl′ē-əm /

1. A hard, lightweight, steel-gray metallic element of the alkaline-earth group, found in various minerals, especially beryl. It has a high melting point and is corrosion-resistant. Beryllium is used to make sturdy, lightweight alloys and aerospace structural materials. It is also used as a neutron moderator in nuclear reactors. Atomic number 4; atomic weight 9.0122; melting point 1,278°C; boiling point 2,970°C; specific gravity 1.848; valence 2.
2. See Periodic Table

Word History and Origins

Origin of beryllium¹

1860–65; < Latin bēryll ( us ) beryl + -ium

Word History and Origins

Origin of beryllium¹

C19: from Latin bēryllus , from Greek bērullos