osmium

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈɒzmɪəm/US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(ozmē əm)


WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
os•mi•um  (ozmē əm),USA pronunciation n. [Chem.]
  1. Chemistrya hard, heavy, metallic element having the greatest density of the known elements and forming octavalent compounds, as OsO4 and OsF8: used chiefly as a catalyst, in alloys, and in the manufacture of electric-light filaments. Symbol: Os;
    at. wt.: 190.2;
    at. no.: 76;
    sp. gr.: 22.57.
  • Greek osm(é̄) smell + -ium -ium; named from the penetrating odor of one of its oxides
  • Neo-Latin
  • 1795–1805

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
osmium / ˈɒzmɪəm/
  1. a very hard brittle bluish-white metal occurring with platinum and alloyed with iridium in osmiridium: used to produce platinum alloys, mainly for pen tips and instrument pivots, as a catalyst, and in electric-light filaments. Symbol: Os; atomic no: 76; atomic wt: 190.2; valency: 0 to 8; relative density: 22.57; melting pt: 3033±30°C; boiling pt: 5012±100°C
Etymology: 19th Century: from Greek osmē smell, so called from its penetrating odour
'osmium' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

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