cerium

[ seer-ee-uhm ]

noun

1. a steel-gray, ductile metallic element of the rare-earth group found only in combination. : Ce; : 140.12; : 58.

cerium

/ ˈsɪərɪəm /

noun

1. a malleable ductile steel-grey element of the lanthanide series of metals, used in lighter flints and as a reducing agent in metallurgy. Symbol: Ce; atomic no: 58; atomic wt: 140.115; valency: 3 or 4; relative density: 6.770; melting pt: 798°C; boiling pt: 3443°C

cerium

/ sîr′ē-əm /

1. A shiny, gray metallic element of the lanthanide series. It is ductile and malleable and is used in electronic components, alloys, and lighter flints. It is also used in glass polishing, as a catalyst in self-cleaning ovens, and in various nuclear applications. Atomic number 58; atomic weight 140.12; melting point 795°C; boiling point 3,468°C; specific gravity 6.67 to 8.23; valence 3, 4.
2. See Periodic Table

Word History and Origins

Origin of cerium¹

First recorded in 1795–1805; Cer(es) + -ium

Word History and Origins

Origin of cerium¹

C19: New Latin, from Ceres (the asteroid) + -ium

Example Sentences

With its middle sheet of silicon sandwiched between magnetic cerium atoms, Posey and her colleagues suspected that CeSiI, first described in a paper in 1998, might have some interesting electronic properties.

From Science Daily

This alignment would otherwise require a powerful magnetic field to activate, since cerium fluoride is naturally paramagnetic with randomly oriented spins even at zero temperature.

From Science Daily

Inside this reactor, which contains a porous ceramic structure made of cerium oxide, a thermochemical cycle takes place for splitting water and CO2 captured previously from the air.

From Science Daily

For the study, the researchers demonstrated the reaction in a lab employing a frequently used cobalt catalyst, conditioned by adding cerium oxide, and then modeled how it worked.

From Science Daily

These are typically rich in cerium, used in flat screens, and lanthanides, such as praseodymium and neodymium, which go into magnets.

From Reuters