gadolinium

noun

gad·​o·​lin·​i·​um ˌga-də-ˈli-nē-əm How to pronounce gadolinium (audio)
: a magnetic metallic element of the rare-earth group occurring in combination in gadolinite and several other minerals see Chemical Elements Table

Examples of gadolinium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In response to emerging concerns about a substance called gadolinium, which is often used during MRI procedures, the FDA funded our own work on a study of almost 6,000 pregnant women, which found no elevated risk. Almut Winterstein, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2025 The mud is believed to contain dysprosium and neodymium, which are used in electric vehicle motor magnets, as well as gadolinium and terbium, used in various high-tech products, Ishii said. Yuka Obayashi, Reuters, 4 July 2025 Those rare earths included samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium, and yttrium. Steve Banker, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025 Ars Video Rare but not irreplaceable The export controls China announced earlier this month cover samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium, and yttrium—seven elements that belong to what is known as the rare earth family. ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2025 Rare but Not Irreplaceable The export controls China announced earlier this month cover samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium, and yttrium—seven elements that belong to what is known as the rare earth family. Zeyi Yang, Wired News, 23 Apr. 2025 The new restrictions — which encompass the medium and heavy rare earth elements samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium and yttrium — will require Chinese companies to secure special licenses to export the resources. Dylan Butts, CNBC, 15 Apr. 2025 However, his team found that oxalic acid may help gadolinium escape from the contrast agent and form nanoparticles. Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 14 Apr. 2025 Separately, in research to be presented later this week, imec will show 300-mm compatible process optimizations steps to improve MoS2 transistor characteristic by including a gadolinium aluminate interlayer among other things. IEEE Spectrum, 14 Dec. 2021

Word History

Etymology

gadolin- (in gadolinite, after Johan Gadolin †1852 Finnish chemist and mineralogist) + New Latin -ium -ium

Note: Named by the Swiss chemist Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac (1817-94); see "Le Y α de M. de Marignac est définitivement nommé gadolinium," Note de M. Lecoq de Boisbaudran, Comptes Rendus hebdomadaires des séances de lʼAcadémie des Sciences, tome 102 (janvier-juin 1886), p. 902.

First Known Use

1886, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gadolinium was in 1886

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Cite this Entry

“Gadolinium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gadolinium. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

gadolinium

noun
gad·​o·​lin·​i·​um ˌgad-ᵊl-ˈin-ē-əm How to pronounce gadolinium (audio)
: a magnetic metallic chemical element see element

Medical Definition

gadolinium

noun
gad·​o·​lin·​i·​um ˌgad-ᵊl-ˈin-ē-əm How to pronounce gadolinium (audio)
: a magnetic metallic element of the rare-earth group
symbol Gd
see Chemical Elements Table

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