Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
noun Chemistry.
- a rare metallic element of the platinum group, silver-white, ductile and malleable, harder and fusing more readily than platinum: used chiefly as a catalyst and in dental and other alloys. Symbol: Pd; atomic weight: 106.4; atomic number: 46; specific gravity: 12 at 20°C.
noun, plural Pal·la·di·a [puh–ley-dee-uh] /pəˈleɪ di ə/.
- Also Pal·la·di·on [puh–ley-dee-on] /pəˈleɪ diˌɒn/. a statue of Athena, especially one on the citadel of Troy on which the safety of the city was supposed to depend.
- (usually lowercase) anything believed to provide protection or safety; safeguard.
noun
- a ductile malleable silvery-white element of the platinum metal group occurring principally in nickel-bearing ores: used as a hydrogenation catalyst and, alloyed with gold, in jewellery. Symbol: Pd; atomic no: 46; atomic wt: 106.42; valency: 2, 3, or 4; relative density: 1202; melting pt: 1555°C; boiling pt: 2964°C
noun
- something believed to ensure protection; safeguard
noun
- a statue of Pallas Athena, esp the one upon which the safety of Troy depended
n.1“safeguard,” c.1600, originally (late 14c.) “sacred image of Pallas Athene,” from Latin palladium, from Greek Palladion, noun use of neuter of Palladios “of Pallas.” It stood in the citadel of Troy and the safety of the city was believed to depend on it. n.2metallic element, coined 1803 by discoverer William Hyde Wollaston (1766-1828), from Pallas, name of an asteroid discovered the previous year (by German astronomer Olbers) and named for the goddess (see Pallas). n. Symbol Pd
- A soft ductile metallic element occurring naturally with platinum, especially in gold, nickel, and copper ores, and used as a catalyst in hydrogenation and in dentistry. Atomic number 46.
Pd
- A malleable, ductile, grayish-white metallic element that occurs naturally with platinum. It is used as a catalyst in hydrogenation and in alloys for making electrical contacts and jewelry. Atomic number 46; atomic weight 106.4; melting point 1,552°C; boiling point 3,140°C; specific gravity 12.02 (20°C); valence 2, 3, 4. See Periodic Table.