palladium

1 of 2

noun (1)

pal·​la·​di·​um pə-ˈlā-dē-əm 

1

capitalized : a statue of Pallas whose preservation was believed to ensure the safety of Troy

2

plural palladia pə-ˈlā-dē-ə  : something that affords effectual protection or security : safeguard sense 2a

… this political persecution being, somehow or other, the grand palladium of our liberties …

—Washington Irving

… lend authority to the view that the true palladium of every people is its language …

—Ferdinand Schevill

palladium

2 of 2

noun (2)

: a silver-white ductile malleable metallic element that is used especially in electrical contacts, as a catalyst, and in alloys see Chemical Elements Table

palladous

pə-ˈlā-dəs 

adjective

Did you know?

Pallas Athena was one of the poetical names given to the Greek goddess Athena (although it's no longer clear what Pallas was supposed to mean), and the original palladium was a statue of Athena that was believed to have the power to protect the ancient city of Troy. When an asteroid belt was discovered between Mars and Jupiter, most of the asteroids were named after figures in Greek mythology, and one of the first to be discovered was named Pallas in 1803. In the same year, scientists isolated a new silvery metal element, which they named palladium in honor of the recently discovered asteroid.

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• caution
• fail-safe
• precaution
• preventive
• safeguard

Examples of palladium in a Sentence

Noun (1)

believes that a vigorously free press is one of our nation's most vital palladia against tyranny

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

As evidenced in the Fondation Cartier retrospective, her innovative use of materials including cotton, gesso, horsehair, linen, gold leaf and palladium, combined with a mastery of ancient techniques such as braiding, knotting and weaving, enabled her to create vast three-dimensional textile pieces. —Lee Sharrock, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024

Tester has been scrambling to contain the fallout from layoffs announced in September of about 700 workers at a palladium and platinum mine. —Daniel Moore, Axios, 24 Oct. 2024

What’s more, while gold is largely mined on its own (sometimes alongside copper and zinc), platinum is often mined along with a group that includes palladium, rhodium and osmium. —Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2024

With further experiments, the team found the optimal method for using palladium to produce water. —Michael Irving, New Atlas, 2 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Latin, from Greek palladion, from Pallad-, Pallas

Noun (2)

New Latin, from Pallad-, Pallas, an asteroid

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1803, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

palladium

noun

pal·​la·​di·​um

pə-ˈlād-ē-əm

: a silver-white metallic element that is used especially in alloys see element

Medical Definition

palladium

noun

pal·​la·​di·​um pə-ˈlād-ē-əm 

: a silver-white ductile malleable metallic element of the platinum group that is used especially in electrical contacts, as a catalyst, and in alloys

—symbol Pd see Chemical Elements Table