cadmium

noun

cad·​mi·​um ˈkad-mē-əm 

: a toxic bluish-white malleable ductile divalent metallic element used especially in batteries, pigments, and protective platings see Chemical Elements Table

Examples of cadmium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Many protein powders on the market may contain dangerous amounts of heavy metals such as lead and cadmium. Clean Label Project, a consumer product safety nonprofit, tested 160 products from 70 top-selling supplement brands. —Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 17 Jan. 2025

Related article Lead and cadmium found in muscle-building protein powders, report says Alternatives to medications with dyes include purchasing drugs without them or going to a compounding pharmacy that could possibly manufacture them without additives. —Kristen Rogers, CNN, 17 Jan. 2025

Arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury were all found in protein powders studied by the Clean Label Project. —April Rubin, Axios, 9 Jan. 2025

Classified as a human carcinogen, cadmium has been linked to kidney and bone disease, as well as cancer, according to the World Health Organization. —Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 13 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin cadmia zinc oxide, from Greek kadmeia, literally, Theban (earth), from feminine of kadmeios Theban, from Kadmos; from the occurrence of its ores together with zinc oxide

First Known Use

1818, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing cadmium

• cadmium sulfide
• cadmium telluride

Kids Definition

cadmium

noun

cad·​mi·​um ˈkad-mē-əm 

: a bluish white metallic element used especially in protective coatings see element

Medical Definition

cadmium

noun

cad·​mi·​um ˈkad-mē-əm 

: a bluish white malleable ductile toxic bivalent metallic element used especially in protective platings and in bearing metals

—symbol Cd see Chemical Elements Table