uranium
noun
ura·ni·um
yu̇-ˈrā-nē-əm 
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
In the same city, another company, Orano USA, plans to build a uranium enrichment facility.
—
Jonathan Mattise, Fortune, 21 Nov. 2024
Western Uranium & Vanadium Corp has acquired a property in Colorado for a potential uranium processing facility, expanding its resource base and strategic capabilities.
—Quartz Bot, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024
Economic pressure mounts as Iran's currency, the rial, hovers near record lows due to international sanctions linked to its nuclear ambitions, which involve enriching uranium closer to weapons-grade levels.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
One issue important on the Navajo Nation is uranium mining, especially as extraction has begun at the Pinyon Plain Mine near the Grand Canyon.
—Arlyssa D. Becenti, The Arizona Republic, 26 Oct. 2024
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Jonathan Mattise, Fortune, 21 Nov. 2024
Western Uranium & Vanadium Corp has acquired a property in Colorado for a potential uranium processing facility, expanding its resource base and strategic capabilities.
—Quartz Bot, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024
Economic pressure mounts as Iran's currency, the rial, hovers near record lows due to international sanctions linked to its nuclear ambitions, which involve enriching uranium closer to weapons-grade levels.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
One issue important on the Navajo Nation is uranium mining, especially as extraction has begun at the Pinyon Plain Mine near the Grand Canyon.
—Arlyssa D. Becenti, The Arizona Republic, 26 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for uranium
Dictionary Entries Near uranium
Cite this Entry
“Uranium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/uranium. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
uranium
noun
ura·ni·um
yȯ-ˈrā-nē-əm
: 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
: 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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