magnesium
UK /ˌmæɡˈniːzi.əm/ · US /ˌmæɡˈnizi.əm/ noun
- noun (chemistry) The chemical element with an atomic number of 12. It is a light, easily flammable, silvery-white alkaline earth metal.
- noun An atom of this element.
Synonyms
Etymology
From New Latin magnēsium, from Ancient Greek μαγνησία (magnēsía), after Μαγνησία (Magnēsía, “Magnesia”), a region in Thessaly. Coined by British chemist Humphry Davy, as a modification of his original suggestion, magnium.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A light silver-white metallic element, malleable and ductile, quite permanent in dry air but tarnishing in moist air. It burns, forming (the oxide) magnesia, with the production of a blinding light (the so-called magnesium light) which is used in signaling, in pyrotechny, or in photography where a strong actinic illuminant is required. Its compounds occur abundantly, as in dolomite, talc, meerschaum, etc. Symbol Mg. Atomic weight, 24.4. Specific gravity, 1.75. Magnesium sulphate. (Chem.) Same as Epsom salts.
Etymology [NL. & F. See Magnesia.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “magnesium”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details