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Definition of cadmium

cadmium

/ˈkæd.mi.əm/
cad · mi · um
Adjective:cadmic
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cadmium Lexical Profile

cadmium Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A soft, bluish-white, toxic metallic chemical element (symbol Cd) with atomic number 48, occurring naturally in zinc ores and widely used in rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries, electroplating, and artist pigments.

Example

"Strict environmental regulations govern the disposal of rechargeable batteries containing cadmium to prevent soil and water contamination."

• Nearby Words

cadence
cadenced
cadet
cadmium
cadre
caecilian
caesar

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in 1817 by German chemist Friedrich Stromeyer from Modern Latin cadmia ('calamine', a zinc ore in which the element was discovered), ultimately from Ancient Greek Kadmeia, named after the mythological Phoenician prince Cadmus, legendary founder of Thebes.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Cadmium. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/cadmium
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