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Definition of potassium

potassium

/pəˈtæsiəm/
po · tas · si · um
Adjective:potassic
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potassium Lexical Profile

potassium Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A soft, silver-white, highly reactive alkali metal chemical element with the symbol K and atomic number 19, which oxidizes rapidly in air and is essential in its ionic form for plant nutrition and human physiological function.

Example

"Bananas, avocados, and sweet potatoes are widely recommended by nutritionists as rich dietary sources of potassium."

• Rhymes for potassium

• Nearby Words

pot roast
potable
potash
potassium
potato
potato bug
potato chip

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in 1807 by the English chemist Sir Humphry Davy from the word 'potash' (from Dutch 'potaschen', literally 'pot ashes', referring to the traditional method of leaching wood ashes in iron pots) combined with the Neo-Latin metallic suffix '-ium'. Its chemical symbol, K, derives from 'kalium', a Neo-Latin name rooted in the Arabic 'al-qalyah' (plant ashes).

Cite this Entry

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