French word

radium

Pronunciation

IPA/ʁadjɔm/

Meaning

  • masculine nounradium

Example

Le radium est dangereux.

Radium is dangerous.

Illustration for radium (radium)

More examples

Marie Curie a découvert le radium.

Marie Curie discovered radium.

Core concept

A rare, heavy silver-white metal whose atoms emit invisible radiation.

Similar words

radioactivité: The ability to give off invisible radiation.
rayonnement: The transmission of energy or particles across space.
métal: A group of shiny substances that conduct heat and electricity.
élément: A basic kind of substance that cannot be chemically decomposed.

Definition in French

Élément radioactif rare, métal lourd d'aspect argenté, découvert à la fin du XIXe siècle et autrefois utilisé pour ses propriétés luminescentes et médicales.

Word origin

The name comes from Latin radius, meaning "ray", and was coined by Marie and Pierre Curie for the element's radiation.

Usage tips

  • Radium is masculine in French, so the standard article is "le radium" and an unspecified amount is often "du radium".

Word lists with this word