cadmium
Pronunciation: /ˈkadmɪəm/
Definition of cadmium
noun
Cadmium occurs naturally in zinc ores and is obtained as a by-product of zinc smelting. It is used as a component in alloys with a low melting point and as a corrosion-resistant coating on other metals
Origin:
early 19th century: from Latin cadmia 'calamine', so named because it is found with calamine in zinc ore. Compare with calamine