uranium

noun

ura·​ni·​um yu̇-ˈrā-nē-əm How to pronounce uranium (audio)
often attributive
: a silvery heavy radioactive polyvalent metallic element that is found especially in uraninite and exists naturally as a mixture of mostly nonfissionable isotopes see Chemical Elements Table

Examples of uranium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Today, the cost of uranium is around $100 per pound. Trilce Estrada Olvera, The Arizona Republic, 5 Mar. 2024 Some members — especially those old enough to remember the old uranium and coal mines — want more Navajo land opened up to mining and oil drilling. Jack Herrera, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2024 The same process can be used simultaneously to extract uranium from seawater or treat uranyl containing nuclear wastewater, the researchers said. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 21 Dec. 2023 The zircon crystals contain radioactive uranium, which decays into lead at a reliable rate. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Oct. 2023 Specifically, Niger is the seventh largest producer of uranium in the world. Daniel Markind, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 If Tehran were to disperse its highly enriched uranium to secret facilities for further enrichment and weapons manufacturing, Washington would have to either carpet bomb the entire country or attempt regime change, either by invasion or internal revolt. Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 25 Jan. 2024 One design, from Core Power [above], based in the United Kingdom, would use uranium and a chloride salt at a temperature of about 400° C. IEEE Spectrum, 20 Jan. 2024 Iran even slowed enrichment of uranium at its underground nuclear sites, delaying its progress toward a weapon. Steven Erlanger, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'uranium.' 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

New Latin, from Uranus

First Known Use

circa 1797, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of uranium was circa 1797

Dictionary Entries Near uranium

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

uranium

noun
ura·​ni·​um yȯ-ˈrā-nē-əm How to pronounce uranium (audio)
: a silvery heavy radioactive metallic element see element
Etymology

scientific Latin; named for the planet Uranus, from Latin Uranus, name of the god of heaven

Word Origin
The ancient Greek word ouranos meant "sky, heaven." It was fitting, then, for the Greeks to name their god of heaven Ouranos and their muse of astronomy Ourania. In Latin these names became Uranus and Urania. Uranus was the father of the god Saturn and the grandfather of Jupiter. In 1781 the English astronomer Sir William Herschel discovered by telescope the seventh planet of our solar system. It was the custom to name planets after Roman gods. Following this custom, the German astronomer Johann Bode suggested the name Uranus for this planet. It seemed a good idea since the fifth planet was called Jupiter and the sixth was Saturn. Eight years after the discovery of Uranus, the German chemist Martin Klaproth discovered a new element. He called it uranium after the new planet Uranus.

Medical Definition

uranium

noun
ura·​ni·​um yu̇-ˈrā-nē-əm How to pronounce uranium (audio)
: a silvery heavy radioactive polyvalent metallic element that is found especially in pitchblende and uraninite and exists naturally as a mixture of three isotopes of mass number 234, 235, and 238 in the proportions of 0.006 percent, 0.71 percent, and 99.28 percent respectively
symbol U
see Chemical Elements Table

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