palladium

/pəˈleɪdiəm/

Other forms: palladiums

Palladium is an extremely valuable precious metal. Closely related to platinum, palladium is also silvery-white and shiny.

When William Hyde Wollaston discovered palladium in 1803, he named it after one of the largest known asteroids, Pallas. Earlier, the word had been used to mean "a source of protection," inspired by the Greek goddess Athena, who was commonly referred to as Pallas. The precious metal shares chemical properties with many others, and it's used to clean the exhaust from cars, as well as in jewelry and electronics.

Definitions of palladium

1. noun

   a silver-white metallic element of the platinum group that resembles platinum; occurs in some copper and nickel ores; does not tarnish at ordinary temperatures and is used (alloyed with gold) in jewelry
   synonyms: Pd, atomic number 46

   type of:

   metal, metallic element

   any of several chemical elements that are usually shiny solids that conduct heat or electricity and can be formed into sheets etc.