cesium

ce·si·um

noun \ˈsē-zē-əm also -zhē-\

Definition of CESIUM

: a silver-white soft ductile element of the alkali metal group that is the most electropositive element known and that is used especially in photoelectric cells — see element table

Origin of CESIUM

New Latin, from Latin caesius bluish gray

First Known Use: 1861

ce·si·um

noun    (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of CESIUM

: a silver-white soft ductile element of the alkali metal group that is the most electropositive element known and that is used especially in photoelectric cells—symbol Cs; see element table

Variants of CESIUM

ce·si·um or chiefly British cae·si·um \ˈsē-zē-əm\ (audio pronunciation)

cesium

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Chemical element, one of the alkali metals, chemical symbol Cs, atomic number 55. The first element discovered by spectroscopy (1860), it is silvery white, liquid at warm room temperature (melting at 83 °F [28.4 °C]), and very soft when solid. About half as abundant as lead, it occurs in minute quantities as ores. It reacts explosively with cold water and is used to scavenge traces of oxygen and other gases in electron tubes. Other uses are as a catalyst and in photoelectric cells, ion propulsion systems, atomic clocks, and plasma for thermoelectric conversion. Cesium salts have various specialty applications, including in mineral waters.