polonium
noun
po·lo·ni·um
pə-ˈlō-nē-əm 
: a radioactive metallic element that has similar chemical properties to tellurium and bismuth, is produced mainly from the radioactive decay of neutron-irradiated bismuth, and emits an alpha particle to form an isotope of lead see Chemical Elements Table
Examples of polonium in a Sentence
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The charges allege that Pang at one point expected to be paid millions of dollars for his efforts, which would include helping the Iranians smuggle weapons and polonium, a radioactive metal that can be used to covertly poison humans, into the U.S.
—
Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2025
New Village Arts explores the private life of famed scientist Marie Curie in new play
The first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the discoverer of radium and polonium, Marie Curie is one of scientific history’s pioneers.
—Ut Community Press, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2025
Putin also is widely believed to kill off opponents, from the spy Alexander Litvinenko (poisoned with polonium in Britain) to journalistAnna Politkovskaya (killed in an elevator) to opposition leader Alexei Navalny (dead last year in a gulag).
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
The double Nobel Prize winner is most famous for her discovery of radioactivity, as well as the radioactive elements radium and polonium.
—Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2024
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Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2025
New Village Arts explores the private life of famed scientist Marie Curie in new play
The first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the discoverer of radium and polonium, Marie Curie is one of scientific history’s pioneers.
—Ut Community Press, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2025
Putin also is widely believed to kill off opponents, from the spy Alexander Litvinenko (poisoned with polonium in Britain) to journalistAnna Politkovskaya (killed in an elevator) to opposition leader Alexei Navalny (dead last year in a gulag).
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
The double Nobel Prize winner is most famous for her discovery of radioactivity, as well as the radioactive elements radium and polonium.
—Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for polonium
Cite this Entry
“Polonium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polonium. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
polonium
noun
po·lo·ni·um
pə-ˈlō-nē-əm
: a radioactive metallic element that is found in pitchblende and decays to form lead see element
Medical Definition
polonium
noun
po·lo·ni·um
pə-ˈlō-nē-əm
: a radioactive metallic element that is similar chemically to tellurium and bismuth, occurs especially in pitchblende and radium-lead residues, and emits an alpha particle to form an isotope of lead
—symbol Po
see Chemical Elements Table
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