cerium
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ce·ri·um
(sîr′ē-əm)n. Symbol Ce
A lustrous, iron-gray, malleable metallic element of the lanthanide series that occurs chiefly in the minerals monazite and bastnaesite, exists in four allotropic states, is a constituent of pyrophoric alloys, and is used in metallurgy and in the manufacture of glass, incandescent mantles, and hydrocarbon combustion catalysts. Atomic number 58; atomic weight 140.12; melting point 799°C; boiling point 3,443°C; specific gravity 6.77; valence 3, 4. See Periodic Table.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
cerium
(ˈsɪərɪəm)n
(Elements & Compounds) a malleable ductile steel-grey element of the lanthanide series of metals, used in lighter flints and as a reducing agent in metallurgy. Symbol: Ce; atomic no: 58; atomic wt: 140.115; valency: 3 or 4; relative density: 6.770; melting pt: 798°C; boiling pt: 3443°C
[C19: New Latin, from Ceres (the asteroid) + -ium]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ce•ri•um
(ˈsɪər i əm)n.
a steel-gray, ductile metallic element of the rare-earth group found only in combination. Symbol: Ce; at. wt.: 140.12; at. no.: 58.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ce·ri·um
(sîr′ē-əm) Symbol Ce A shiny, gray metallic element of the lanthanide series. It is easily shaped and in pure form will ignite if scratched with a knife. It is used in glass polishing and as a catalyst in self-cleaning ovens. Atomic number 58. See Periodic Table.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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| Noun | 1. |  cerium - a ductile grey metallic element of the lanthanide series; used in lighter flints; the most abundant of the rare-earth groupmetal, metallic element - any of several chemical elements that are usually shiny solids that conduct heat or electricity and can be formed into sheets etc. bastnaesite, bastnasite - a yellow-to-brown mineral that is a source of rare earth elements gadolinite, ytterbite - a mineral that is a source of rare earths; consists of silicates of iron and beryllium and cerium and yttrium and erbium monazite - a reddish-brown mineral containing rare earth metals; an important source of thorium and cerium |
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