zirconium

[zur-koh-nee-uh m] /zɜrˈkoʊ ni əm/
noun, Chemistry
1.
a metallic element found combined in zircon, baddeleyite, etc., resembling titanium chemically: used in steel metallurgy, as a scavenger, as a refractory, and as an opacifier in vitreous enamels. Symbol: Zr; atomic weight: 91.22; atomic number: 40; specific gravity: 6.49 at 20°C.
Origin
1800-10; < Neo-Latin; see zircon, -ium
Related forms
zirconic
[zur-kon-ik] /zɜrˈkɒn ɪk/ (Show IPA), adjective
Examples from the web for zirconium
  • The oxygen sensor in your car is based on the same yttria-stabilized zirconium oxide ceramic.
  • Cooling failure causes steam to burn off the zirconium cladding of the fuel rods leaving zirconium oxide and hydrogen gas.
  • Fuel rods in nuclear reactor cores are filled with uranium oxide ceramic pellets in zirconium cladding.
  • It's essentially a high-speed rusting, where the zirconium becomes zirconium oxide and the hydrogen is set free.
  • Pellets of enriched fuel are encased inside long, narrow tubes made of an alloy containing the metal zirconium.
  • Bone implants are typically made of metal or ceramic materials made of aluminum oxide or zirconium oxide.
  • zirconium is produced from two ore minerals, zircon and baddeleyite.
British Dictionary definitions for zirconium

zirconium

/zɜːˈkəʊnɪəm/
noun
1.
a greyish-white metallic element, occurring chiefly in zircon, that is exceptionally corrosion-resistant and has low neutron absorption. It is used as a coating in nuclear and chemical plants, as a deoxidizer in steel, and alloyed with niobium in superconductive magnets. Symbol: Zr; atomic no: 40; atomic wt: 91.224; valency: 2, 3, or 4; relative density: 6.506; melting pt: 1855±2°C; boiling pt: 4409°C
Derived Forms
zirconic (zɜːˈkɒnɪk) adjective
Word Origin
C19: from New Latin; see zircon
Word Origin and History for zirconium
n.

metallic chemical element, 1808, coined by German chemist and mineralogist Martin Heinrich Klaproth (1743-1817) in 1789; so called because it was found in zircon.

zirconium in Medicine

zirconium zir·co·ni·um (zûr-kō'nē-əm)
n.
Symbol Zr
A strong ductile metallic element obtained primarily from zircon. Atomic number 40; atomic weight 91.22; melting point 1,855°C; boiling point 4,409°C; specific gravity 6.51 (20°C); valence 2, 3, 4.

zirconium in Science
zirconium
  (zûr-kō'nē-əm)   
Symbol Zr
A shiny, grayish-white metallic element that occurs primarily in zircon. It is used to build nuclear reactors because of its ability to withstand bombardment by neutrons even at high temperatures. Zirconium is also highly resistant to corrosion, making it a useful component of pumps, valves, and alloys. Atomic number 40; atomic weight 91.22; melting point 1,852°C; boiling point 4,377°C; specific gravity 6.56 (20°C); valence 2, 3, 4. See Periodic Table.