palladium

1 of 2

noun (1)

pal·​la·​di·​um pə-ˈlā-dē-əm How to pronounce palladium (audio)
1
capitalized : a statue of Pallas whose preservation was believed to ensure the safety of Troy
2
plural palladia pə-ˈlā-dē-ə How to pronounce palladium (audio) : something that affords effectual protection or security : safeguard sense 2a
… this political persecution being, somehow or other, the grand palladium of our liberties …Washington Irving
… lend authority to the view that the true palladium of every people is its language …Ferdinand Schevill

palladium

2 of 2

noun (2)

: a silver-white ductile malleable metallic element that is used especially in electrical contacts, as a catalyst, and in alloys see Chemical Elements Table
palladous adjective

Did you know?

Pallas Athena was one of the poetical names given to the Greek goddess Athena (although it's no longer clear what Pallas was supposed to mean), and the original palladium was a statue of Athena that was believed to have the power to protect the ancient city of Troy. When an asteroid belt was discovered between Mars and Jupiter, most of the asteroids were named after figures in Greek mythology, and one of the first to be discovered was named Pallas in 1803. In the same year, scientists isolated a new silvery metal element, which they named palladium in honor of the recently discovered asteroid.

Examples of palladium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Moreover, despite near-term production declines, Wheaton’s overall production volumes are also set to pick up in the long run, with the company guiding average production of all metals (gold, silver, palladium, and cobalt) of 800,000 GEOs by 2028 and over 850,000 GEOs from 2029 to 2033. Trefis Team, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The most popular type forces the exhaust through a ceramic honeycomb structure coated with a thin layer containing a precious metal such as platinum, palladium, or rhodium. IEEE Spectrum, 27 Feb. 2024 The letters are applied with a brush and subtly mirrored by a fine line of palladium tracing around the lid. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 21 Feb. 2024 Additionally, palladium metal is used to display the name Sauvage. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 21 Feb. 2024 The pen offers two variations: burgundy and gold or black with palladium trim. Nancy Olson, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024 The show includes platinum palladium prints, some in a special large format, as well as rare vintage silver gelatin photographs that are not for sale. Christian House, CNN, 7 Feb. 2024 On paper, platinum and palladium are effectively interchangeable in the case of gasoline autocatalysts. Gaurav Sharma, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2024 Herrán adds this record-setting performance was achieved with platinum instead of palladium, the catalytic metal typically used to extract hydrogen from formic acid, which is inherently more active than platinum. IEEE Spectrum, 3 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'palladium.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Latin, from Greek palladion, from Pallad-, Pallas

Noun (2)

New Latin, from Pallad-, Pallas, an asteroid

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1803, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of palladium was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near palladium

Cite this Entry

“Palladium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/palladium. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

palladium

noun
pal·​la·​di·​um
pə-ˈlād-ē-əm
: a silver-white metallic element that is used especially in alloys see element

Medical Definition

palladium

noun
pal·​la·​di·​um pə-ˈlād-ē-əm How to pronounce palladium (audio)
: a silver-white ductile malleable metallic element of the platinum group that is used especially in electrical contacts, as a catalyst, and in alloys
symbol Pd
see Chemical Elements Table

More from Merriam-Webster on palladium

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!