Uranium

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Uranium \U*ra"ni*um\, n. [NL., from Uranus the planet. See
     {Uranus}.] (Chem.)
     An element of the chromium group, found in certain rare
     minerals, as pitchblende, uranite, etc., and reduced as a
     heavy, hard, nickel-white metal which is quite permanent. Its
     yellow oxide is used to impart to glass a delicate


     greenish-yellow tint which is accompanied by a strong
     fluorescence, and its black oxide is used as a pigment in
     porcelain painting. Symbol U. Atomic weight 239.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Uranium was discovered in the state of an oxide by
           Klaproth in 1789, and so named in honor of Herschel's
           discovery of the planet Uranus in 1781.
           [1913 Webster] Uran-ocher

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  uranium
       n : a heavy toxic silvery-white radioactive metallic element;
           occurs in many isotopes; used for nuclear fuels and
           nuclear weapons [syn: {U}, {atomic number 92}]

From Elements database 20001107 [elements]:

  uranium
  Symbol: U
  Atomic number: 92
  Atomic weight: (231)
  White radioactive metallic element belonging to the actinoids. Three
  natural isotopes, U-238, U-235 and U-234. Uranium-235 is used as the fuel
  for nuclear reactors and weapons. Discovered by Martin H. Klaproth in 1789.