dysprosium Hear it!

dysprosium definition

dys·pro·sium (dis prō′zē əm, -sē-)

noun

a silver-white chemical element, one of the rare-earth elements, with a great capacity to absorb neutrons and with strong magnetic properties, esp. at very low temperatures: symbol, Dy; at. no., 66

Etymology: ModL < Gr dysprositos, difficult of access < dys-, dys- + prositos, approachable < prosienai, come to < pros, toward + ienai, to go (see ion): so named (1886) by its discoverer, Fr chemist P.-E. Lecoq de Boisbaudran (1838-1912)

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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