Zirconium

3 definitions found

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

  Zirconium \Zir*co"ni*um\, n. [NL.] (Chem.)
     A rare element of the carbon-silicon group, intermediate
     between the metals and nonmetals, obtained from the mineral
     zircon as a dark sooty powder, or as a gray metallic
     crystalline substance. Symbol Zr. Atomic weight, 90.4.
     [1913 Webster]



From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  zirconium
       n : a lustrous gray strong metallic element resembling titanium;
           it is used in nuclear reactors as a neutron absorber; it
           occurs in baddeleyite but is obtained chiefly from zircon
           [syn: {Zr}, {atomic number 40}]

From Elements database 20001107 [elements]:

  zirconium
  Symbol: Zr
  Atomic number: 40
  Atomic weight: 91.22
  Grey-white metallic transition element. Five natural isotopes and six
  radioactive isotopes are known. Used in nuclear reactors for a {neutron}
  absorber. Discovered in 1789 by Martin Klaproth, isolated in 1824 by
  Berzelius.