periodic table

noun

: an arrangement of chemical elements based on the periodic law
periodic table table

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Trailblazers For years, scientists questioned how to fill a single square in the seventh row of the periodic table of elements. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 18 Feb. 2023 These might include the ability to notice subtle undulations in complex mathematical graphs or to remember the spatial layout in a graphical organizer, such as the periodic table of elements. Matthew H. Schneps, Scientific American, 1 Jan. 2015 Strontium sits just below calcium in the periodic table of the elements and imitates its behavior, incorporating itself tightly into bone. George Johnson, Discover Magazine, 30 July 2013 Phosphorus, element No. 15 on the periodic table, was first isolated by Henning Brandt in Hamburg in 1669. Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 23 Feb. 2023 Lithium is the lightest metal in the periodic table, and it’s used in all kinds of things. Leia Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 17 Apr. 2022 Every isotope of every element in the periodic table has the potential to tell us something about the nuclear history of the universe. Sanjana Curtis, Scientific American, 12 Dec. 2022 Number 94 in the periodic table, plutonium is two spaces over from uranium. Valerie Brown, Discover Magazine, 28 Sep. 2018 Currently, there are 118 elements on the periodic table. Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 17 Sep. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'periodic table.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of periodic table was in 1890

Dictionary Entries Near periodic table

Cite this Entry

“Periodic table.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/periodic%20table. Accessed 29 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

periodic table

noun
: an arrangement of chemical elements in order of atomic number that groups elements with common characteristics in the same area of the table

Medical Definition

periodic table

noun
: an arrangement of chemical elements based on the periodic law

More from Merriam-Webster on periodic table

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