noun
potassium
puh-TA-see-uhm
noun
1
A soft, silvery metallic element (symbol K, atomic number 19) that reacts strongly with water and is essential to living cells.
"Bananas are often cited as a good source of potassium."
"Potassium reacts violently when dropped into water."
How to Use Potassium
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA metal element your body needs in small amounts, found in foods like bananas and potatoes.
Common pairings
potassium levels
potassium chloride
potassium-rich foods
Word Forms
potassiums plural
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Etymology
Coined in 1807 by British chemist Humphry Davy from potash (the ash-derived compound it was first isolated from) plus the chemical suffix -ium.