polonium

noun

po·​lo·​ni·​um pə-ˈlō-nē-əm How to pronounce polonium (audio)
: a radioactive metallic element that has similar chemical properties to tellurium and bismuth, is produced mainly from the radioactive decay of neutron-irradiated bismuth, and emits an alpha particle to form an isotope of lead see Chemical Elements Table

Examples of polonium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Russian operatives poisoned Alexander Litvinenko with radioactive polonium and turned him into a human dirty bomb and polonium was spread all around London at every spot that poor man visited. Michael Tomasky, The New Republic, 21 Mar. 2022 Poisons in books, TV and film Novel writers and television and movie screenwriters have exploited numerous poisons in their works, including those that are chemical elements, such as arsenic and polonium, and those derived from animals, such as snake venom and blowfish poison. Brad Reisfeld, The Conversation, 21 Mar. 2023 Alexander Litvinenko, poisoned by polonium. NBC News, 14 June 2021 Partners in life and in science, the couple’s fruitful work together produced the discovery of the elements polonium and radium in 1898, as well as radioactivity itself. Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 14 Feb. 2023 In 1911 Curie won her second Nobel Prize, this time in chemistry, for her work with polonium and radium. Mark Barna, Discover Magazine, 16 Dec. 2022 Marie Curie was a Polish scientist who discovered both polonium and radium, and coined the term radioactivity. Rebecca Norris, Woman's Day, 27 Jan. 2023 Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, in 1903, and one of a very select few people to earn a second Nobel, in 1911 (for her later discoveries of the elements radium and polonium). Adam Hadhazy, Discover Magazine, 10 Oct. 2019 This included traces of dangerous elements such as polonium, radium, and lead-210. Justin Klawans, The Week, 17 Oct. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'polonium.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Medieval Latin Polonia

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of polonium was in 1898

Dictionary Entries Near polonium

Cite this Entry

“Polonium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polonium. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

polonium

noun
po·​lo·​ni·​um pə-ˈlō-nē-əm How to pronounce polonium (audio)
: a radioactive metallic element that is found in pitchblende and decays to form lead see element

Medical Definition

polonium

noun
po·​lo·​ni·​um pə-ˈlō-nē-əm How to pronounce polonium (audio)
: a radioactive metallic element that is similar chemically to tellurium and bismuth, occurs especially in pitchblende and radium-lead residues, and emits an alpha particle to form an isotope of lead
symbol Po
see Chemical Elements Table

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