sodium

noun

so·​di·​um ˈsō-dē-əm 

1

: a silver-white soft waxy ductile element of the alkali metal group with atomic number 11 that occurs abundantly in nature in combined form and is very active chemically see Chemical Elements Table

2

: salt sense 1a, sodium chloride

—not used technically

reduced her sodium intake

a low-sodium diet

Examples of sodium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Excess sodium in the bloodstream pulls water into blood vessels, which raises blood volume and, in turn, blood pressure.1 The daily sodium recommendation is less than 2,300 milligrams. —Johna Burdeos, Health, 27 Nov. 2024

How To Fix Salty Soup, According To The Professionals Bottom Line Both table salt and sea salt share a similar makeup, containing roughly 40 percent sodium by weight. —Ann Taylor Pittman, Southern Living, 27 Nov. 2024

The hard water gets trapped by resin beads in the softener, where the calcium, magnesium, and other minerals found in hard water are exchanged for the sodium or potassium. —Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Nov. 2024

This revolutionary new system, called the sodium vapor process, allowed animators to seamlessly combine drawings with the filmed images. —Sean Keane, ABC News, 26 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from English soda

First Known Use

1808, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sodium

• sodium azide
• sodium benzoate
• sodium bicarbonate
• sodium borohydride
• sodium carbonate
• sodium chlorate
• sodium chloride
• sodium citrate
• sodium cyanide
• sodium fluoride
• sodium fluoroacetate
• sodium hydroxide
• sodium hypochlorite
• sodium lauryl sulfate
• sodium metasilicate
• sodium nitrate
• sodium nitrite
• sodium pump
• sodium salicylate
• sodium sulfate
• sodium thiosulfate
• sodium tripolyphosphate
• sodium-vapor lamp

Kids Definition

sodium

noun

so·​di·​um ˈsōd-ē-əm 

: a soft waxy silver-white metallic element that is chemically very active and is common in nature in combined form see element

Medical Definition

sodium

noun

so·​di·​um ˈsōd-ē-əm 

: a silver white soft waxy ductile element of the alkali metal group that occurs abundantly in nature in combined form and is very active chemically

—symbol Na see Chemical Elements Table