Word
potassium
Phoneticspotas·si·um
US/pəˈtæsiəm/
UK/pətˈæsiəm/
Definitions
01chemical element
n. a soft, silver-colored metal that reacts very quickly with water and air.
n. a soft, silvery-white alkali metal, atomic number 19, that is highly reactive and never found in its pure state in nature.
“In chemistry class, the teacher showed us how potassium reacts when dropped into water.”
“Potassium is so reactive that it must be stored under mineral oil to prevent it from oxidizing in the air.”
Technical
Usage
Uncountable when referring to the element in general.
Synonyms
02dietary mineral
n. a mineral found in food that helps your heart and muscles work correctly.
n. an essential dietary mineral and electrolyte that facilitates nerve impulses and maintains cellular fluid balance.
“Bananas and potatoes are excellent sources of potassium for a healthy diet.”
“The patient was advised to increase their intake of potassium to help manage their blood pressure naturally.”
Usage
Uncountable in a nutritional context.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Potassium (K) is one of the three essential nutrients for plants.” Etymology
Coined by British chemist Humphry Davy in 1807, from potassa (a Latinized form of potash) + -ium.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
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