Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Palladium
Pal-la′di-um
(păl-lā′dĭ-ŭm)
, Noun.
[L., fr. Gr.
Παλλάδιον
, fr. Παλλάς
, Παλλάδος
, Pallas.] 1.
(Gr. Antiq.)
Any statue of the goddess Pallas; esp., the famous statue on the preservation of which depended the safety of ancient Troy.
2.
Hence:
That which affords effectual protection or security; a safeguard;
as, the trial by jury is the
. palladium
of our civil rightsBlackstone.
Pal-la′di-um
,Noun.
[NL.]
(Chem.)
A rare metallic element of the light platinum group, found native, and also alloyed with platinum and gold. It is a silver-white metal resembling platinum, and like it permanent and untarnished in the air, but is more easily fusible, with a melting point of 1555° C. It can also be prepared as a finely divided black powder. It is unique in its power of absorbing hydrogen, which it does to the extent of nearly a thousand volumes, forming the alloy
Pd2H
. It is used for graduated circles and verniers, for plating certain silver goods, and somewhat in dentistry. It was so named in 1804 by Wollaston
from the asteroid Pallas
, which was discovered in 1802. Symbol Pd. Atomic number, 46. Atomic weight, 106.42. Density 12.0. Webster 1828 Edition
Palladium
PALLA'DIUM
,Noun.
1.
Primarily, a statue of the goddess Pallas, which represented her as sitting with a pike in her right hand, and in her left a distaff and spindle. On the preservation of this statue depended the safety of Troy. Hence,2.
Something that affords effectual defense, protection and safety; as when we say, the trial by jury is the palladium of our civil rights.3.
A metal found in very small grains, of a steel gray color and fibrous structure, in auriferous and platiniferous sand. It is infusible by ordinary heat, and when native, is alloyed with a litter platina and iridium.