noun
polonium
puh-LOH-nih-uhm
noun
1
A rare, intensely radioactive chemical element, symbol Po, atomic number 84.
"Polonium is so radioactive that a single gram can heat itself to hundreds of degrees."
"Traces of polonium were famously used to poison a former Russian spy in 2006."
How to Use Polonium
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA dangerously radioactive element, mostly known today for its use as a poison rather than any everyday application.
Common pairings
polonium poisoning
radioactive polonium
Word Forms
poloniums plural
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_____ is so radioactive that a single gram can heat itself to hundreds of degrees.
Etymology
Named by Marie Curie in 1898 after Poland (Latin Polonia), her home country, to draw attention to its political situation.