bismuth

[ biz-muh th ]
/ ˈbɪz məθ /

noun Chemistry.

a brittle, grayish-white, red-tinged, metallic element used in the manufacture of fusible alloys and in medicine. Symbol: Bi; atomic weight: 208.980; atomic number: 83.

Origin of bismuth

1660–70; earlier bismutum < New Latin bisemūtum, Latinized form of German Wissmuth (now Wismut) < ?

OTHER WORDS FROM bismuth

bis·muth·al, adjective

Words nearby bismuth

bismarck archipelago, bismarck herring, bismarck, otto von, bismarckian, bismillah, bismuth, bismuth chromate, bismuth line, bismuth oxychloride, bismuthic, bismuthine

British Dictionary definitions for bismuth

bismuth
/ (ˈbɪzməθ) /

noun

a brittle pinkish-white crystalline metallic element having low thermal and electrical conductivity, which expands on cooling. It is widely used in alloys, esp low-melting alloys in fire safety devices; its compounds are used in medicines. Symbol: Bi; atomic no: 83; atomic wt: 208.98037; valency: 3 or 5; relative density: 9.747; melting pt: 271.4°C; boiling pt: 1564±5°C

Derived forms of bismuth

bismuthal (ˈbɪzməθəl), adjective

Word Origin for bismuth

C17: from New Latin bisemūtum, from German Wismut, of unknown origin

Medical definitions for bismuth

bismuth
[ bĭz′məth ]

n. Symbol Bi

A metallic element used in various low-melting alloys and having many medical applications, including as an x-ray contrast medium and in compounds that are used as astringents, antiseptics, treatments of gastrointestinal disturbances, and suppressants of lupus erythematosus. Atomic number 83.

Scientific definitions for bismuth

bismuth
[ bĭz′məth ]

Bi

A brittle, pinkish-white, crystalline metallic element that occurs in nature as a free metal and in various ores. Bismuth is the most strongly diamagnetic element and has the highest atomic number of all stable elements. It is used to make low-melting alloys for fire-safety devices. Atomic number 83; atomic weight 208.98; melting point 271.3°C; boiling point 1,560°C; specific gravity 9.747; valence 3, 5. See Periodic Table.