selenium
A nonmetallic chemical element (symbol Se) with an atomic number of 34, used mainly in glassmaking and pigments and as a semiconductor.
Noun
- A nonmetallic chemical element (symbol Se) with an atomic number of 34, used mainly in glassmaking and pigments and as a semiconductor.
- Pluck almost any cell from your body and it will have a million or more selenium atoms in it. - 2019, Bill Bryson, The Body: A Guide for Occupants, Black Swan (2020), page 4:
Hypernyms: chalcogen
- An atom of this element.
Origin
From French sélénium, the name coined by Swedish chemist Jöns Jacob Berzelius in 1818 from Ancient Greek σελήνη (selḗnē, “moon”) in reference to original confusion with the similar element tellurium.
Forms
Wikipedia
Derived
diselenium hydroselenic acid metallic selenium nonselenium organoselenium radioselenium selane selen- selenate seleniate selenic acid selenide seleniferous selenio- seleno- selenious selenious acid selenite selenium cell selenium dioxide selenium eye selenium hexafluoride selenium hydride selenium oxide