sodium

noun

so·​di·​um ˈsō-dē-əm 

1

: a silver-white soft waxy ductile element of the alkali metal group with atomic number 11 that occurs abundantly in nature in combined form and is very active chemically see Chemical Elements Table

2

: salt sense 1a, sodium chloride

—not used technically

reduced her sodium intake

a low-sodium diet

Examples of sodium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Once the water is purified, the Kara Pod adds essential minerals like calcium, magnesium and sodium. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 June 2025

The federal funds will be used to develop and prove how an iron and sodium long-duration energy storage system can provide power to the Alliance Redwoods, located 6250 Bohemian Highway in Occidental, Calif. —Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025

Just know that Precision Fuel doesn’t have any sodium, so salty sweaters will need to get their electrolytes from other sources. —Jennifer Heimlich, SELF, 26 June 2025

People with high blood pressure or heart disease should limit their sodium intake to less than 1,500 mg per day, while those without these conditions should consume less than 2,300 mg daily.14 Sauerkraut and kimchi both contain probiotics, but kimchi often contains a wider diversity of bacteria. —Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 25 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from English soda

First Known Use

1808, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sodium

• sodium azide
• sodium benzoate
• sodium bicarbonate
• sodium borohydride
• sodium carbonate
• sodium chlorate
• sodium chloride
• sodium citrate
• sodium cyanide
• sodium fluoride
• sodium fluoroacetate
• sodium hydroxide
• sodium hypochlorite
• sodium lauryl sulfate
• sodium metasilicate
• sodium nitrate
• sodium nitrite
• sodium pump
• sodium salicylate
• sodium sulfate
• sodium thiosulfate
• sodium tripolyphosphate
• sodium-vapor lamp

Rhymes for sodium

• odium
• podium
• rhodium
• chenopodium
• lycopodium
• monosodium
• polypodium
• desmodium
• disodium
• plasmodium
• propodeum
• trisodium

Kids Definition

sodium

noun

so·​di·​um ˈsōd-ē-əm 

: a soft waxy silver-white metallic element that is chemically very active and is common in nature in combined form see element

Medical Definition

sodium

noun

so·​di·​um ˈsōd-ē-əm 

: a silver white soft waxy ductile element of the alkali metal group that occurs abundantly in nature in combined form and is very active chemically

—symbol Na see Chemical Elements Table