ENGLISH
REFERENCE

platinum

n. · adj. · v.
US //ˈpɫætənəm// UK //plˈætɪnəm// plat·inum
  1. 1 the metal (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Science

    a heavy, silver-white metal that is very expensive and does not rust easily.

    a dense, malleable, and highly unreactive transition metal with atomic number 78, valued for its rarity and industrial utility.

    Example

    The wedding ring was made of platinum because it is stronger than gold.

    Example

    Platinum is an essential component in catalytic converters due to its ability to facilitate chemical reactions without being consumed in the process.
    • precious metal
  2. 2 music sales award (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Music

    an award for a song or album that has sold a very large number of copies.

    a certification awarded to a musical recording that has reached a specific high-volume sales threshold, typically one million units.

    Example

    The band's latest album went platinum within just three weeks of its release.

    Example

    Achieving platinum status in the digital era requires a complex calculation of both physical sales and millions of verified streams.
    • record award
  3. 3 cancer medication (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Medicine

    a type of strong medicine used to treat cancer.

    a class of chemotherapy drugs containing platinum compounds used to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

    Example

    The doctor explained that the treatment would involve a course of platinum.

    Example

    The patient responded well to the platinum-based regimen, though the oncologists monitored closely for signs of renal toxicity.
  4. 4 colour (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a very pale, silvery-grey colour.

    denoting a metallic, whitish-grey colour of low saturation.

    Example

    She decided to dye her hair a bright platinum blonde.

    Example

    The interior designer recommended platinum silk curtains to complement the cool tones of the marble flooring.
  5. 5 gaming achievement (v.)
    C1 Advanced Slang Informal Computing

    to finish every single task and challenge in a video game.

    to earn every available trophy or achievement in a video game, thereby completing it in its entirety.

    Example

    I spent all weekend trying to platinum my favourite RPG.

    Example

    He was determined to platinum the game, even though it required finding hundreds of hidden collectibles scattered across the map.
Origin

From Spanish platina (“little silver”) del Pinto ("of the Pinto") + -um. It was called "little" (or "lesser") silver because the metal was found as an impurity in gold, and del Pinto for the Pinto River in Grand Columbia where Europeans discovered it being mined by Native Americans. Doublet of platina.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Related words

Last updated June 19, 2026