beryllium
[ buh-ril-ee-uh m ]
/ bəˈrɪl i əm /
noun Chemistry.
a steel-gray, bivalent, hard, light, metallic element, the salts of which are sweet: used chiefly in copper alloys for better fatigue endurance, in springs, and in electrical contacts. Symbol: Be; atomic weight: 9.0122; atomic number: 4; specific gravity: 1.8 at 20° C.
Words nearby beryllium
berwyn,
beryl,
beryl blue,
beryl green,
berylliosis,
beryllium,
beryllium copper,
beryllonite,
berzelius,
bes,
bes antler
Example sentences from the Web for beryllium
British Dictionary definitions for beryllium
beryllium
/ (bɛˈrɪlɪəm) /
noun
a corrosion-resistant toxic silvery-white metallic element that occurs chiefly in beryl and is used mainly in X-ray windows and in the manufacture of alloys. Symbol: Be; atomic no: 4; atomic wt: 9.012; valency: 2; relative density: 1.848; melting pt: 1289°C; boiling pt: 2472°C
Former names: glucinum, glucinium
Word Origin for beryllium
C19: from Latin
bēryllus, from Greek
bērullos
Medical definitions for beryllium
beryllium
[ bə-rĭl′ē-əm ]
n. Symbol Be
A lightweight, corrosion-resistant, toxic and possibly carcinogenic metallic element used in making precision instruments. Atomic number 4.
Scientific definitions for beryllium
beryllium
[ bə-rĭl′ē-əm ]
Be
A hard, lightweight, steel-gray metallic element of the alkaline-earth group, found in various minerals, especially beryl. It has a high melting point and is corrosion-resistant. Beryllium is used to make sturdy, lightweight alloys and aerospace structural materials. It is also used as a neutron moderator in nuclear reactors. Atomic number 4; atomic weight 9.0122; melting point 1,278°C; boiling point 2,970°C; specific gravity 1.848; valence 2. See Periodic Table.