: a metallic chemical element that is the most abundant of the rare-earth group and is a chief component of misch metal see Chemical Elements Table
Examples of cerium in a Sentence
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Most of the cerium, a low-value rare earth, is removed in this stage.
—
IEEE Spectrum, 27 Dec. 2024
Some of those more obscure elements play fundamental roles in shaping modern-day society: lighter flints use cerium, smoke detectors have americium inside, and color televisions need Europium to function.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 7 Nov. 2016
Turning at roughly one rotation per minute, the CR5—for counter rotating ring receiver reactor recuperator—moves these rings studded with teeth containing iron oxide (also known as ferrite, or rust) or cerium oxide (ceria) into and out of the sunlight.
—David Biello, Scientific American, 23 Sep. 2010
Adding another, to make cerium, atomic number 58, adds an electron to the fourth circle.
—Stanley Merzman, Discover Magazine, 21 Aug. 2018
About 24 million tonnes of magnesium and 3.1 million tonnes of cobalt are estimated to be in manganese crusts grown on bedrock over millions of years, as well as 1.7 million tonnes of cerium, a rare earth element used in alloys.
—Laura Paddison, CNN, 30 Jan. 2023
This dazzling beam of light heats a reactor with a core made of cerium oxide, an inexpensive compound often used to polish glass.
—Frank Swain, Discover Magazine, 13 June 2020
At 2,700 degrees Fahrenheit, oxygen is liberated from the cerium and removed, after which water and carbon dioxide captured from the air are injected into the reactor.
—Frank Swain, Discover Magazine, 13 June 2020
Or cerium, which is an important material in catalytic converters.
—Wired, 14 July 2022
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IEEE Spectrum, 27 Dec. 2024
Some of those more obscure elements play fundamental roles in shaping modern-day society: lighter flints use cerium, smoke detectors have americium inside, and color televisions need Europium to function.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 7 Nov. 2016
Turning at roughly one rotation per minute, the CR5—for counter rotating ring receiver reactor recuperator—moves these rings studded with teeth containing iron oxide (also known as ferrite, or rust) or cerium oxide (ceria) into and out of the sunlight.
—David Biello, Scientific American, 23 Sep. 2010
Adding another, to make cerium, atomic number 58, adds an electron to the fourth circle.
—Stanley Merzman, Discover Magazine, 21 Aug. 2018
About 24 million tonnes of magnesium and 3.1 million tonnes of cobalt are estimated to be in manganese crusts grown on bedrock over millions of years, as well as 1.7 million tonnes of cerium, a rare earth element used in alloys.
—Laura Paddison, CNN, 30 Jan. 2023
This dazzling beam of light heats a reactor with a core made of cerium oxide, an inexpensive compound often used to polish glass.
—Frank Swain, Discover Magazine, 13 June 2020
At 2,700 degrees Fahrenheit, oxygen is liberated from the cerium and removed, after which water and carbon dioxide captured from the air are injected into the reactor.
—Frank Swain, Discover Magazine, 13 June 2020
Or cerium, which is an important material in catalytic converters.
—Wired, 14 July 2022
Cite this Entry
“Cerium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cerium. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
cerium
noun
ce·ri·um
ˈsir-ē-əm 
: a malleable ductile metallic element that is the most abundant of the rare-earth group
—symbol Ce
see Chemical Elements Table
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