noun
samarium
suh-MAIR-ee-um
Samarium (noun) means a moderately hard, silvery metallic chemical element with the symbol Sm and atomic number 62. Example: “Samarium has the atomic number 62.”
noun
1
technical A moderately hard, silvery metallic chemical element with the symbol Sm and atomic number 62.
"Samarium has the atomic number 62."
"The symbol for samarium is Sm."
"Samarium slowly oxidises when it is left in air."
How to use samarium
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSamarium is a silvery metal with atomic number 62.
When to use it
It is a technical term used in chemistry and materials science.
Memory tip
When it names the metal, samarium is normally uncountable, so you say samarium rather than a samarium.
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Common pairings
the element samarium
samarium magnet
samarium atom
atomic number of samarium
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_____ has the atomic number 62.
Etymology
The name comes from samarskite, a mineral, with the ending -ium used for chemical elements. Samarskite in turn honours Vasili Samarsky-Bykhovets.
Rhymes for samarium
See all rhymes for samarium →Frequently asked questions
What is samarium used for?
It is used in magnets that keep performing well at high temperatures.
What is the symbol and atomic number of samarium?
The symbol is Sm and the atomic number is 62.
Where does the name samarium come from?
It comes from samarskite, a mineral, which was itself named to honour Vasili Samarsky-Bykhovets.
What is the meaning of samarium?
"samarium" (noun) means a moderately hard, silvery metallic chemical element with the symbol Sm and atomic number 62.
