Bariums

/ˈbæɹiəmz/ noun

Definition

Plural of barium; multiple samples or forms of barium, the chemical element with atomic number 56.

Etymology

English plural of 'barium', which comes from 'baryta' (barium oxide) plus '-ium' suffix for chemical elements, itself from Greek 'barys' meaning 'heavy'.

Kelly Says

When doctors give you barium before an X-ray of your stomach, they're using an element so heavy it stops X-rays completely—your intestines become visible as a bright white path on the image.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.