osmium Hear it!

osmium definition

os·mium (äz′mē əm, äs′-)

noun

a very hard, bluish-white, amorphous, metallic chemical element, one of the platinum metals: it occurs in the form of an alloy with platinum and iridium and is used in pen points, electric light filaments, etc., and as a catalyst: symbol, Os; at. no., 76

Etymology: ModL: so named (1804) by S. Tennant (1761-1815), Eng chemist < Gr osmē, odor (from the odor of one of its oxides) + -ium

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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