Definition

A shiny, silvery metal that is part of the rare-earth elements. It is used in various applications, including making strong magnets and in certain types of glass and nuclear reactors.

Example

Samarium is often used in the production of powerful permanent magnets.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of samarium?

Yeah, it's one of those rare-earth elements, right?

Exactly! I read that it's used in making permanent magnets.

That's so interesting! I didn't know it had such practical uses.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Samarium is named after the mineral samarskite, which was named in honor of the Russian mining engineer Vasily Samarsky-Bykhovets. The name does not have a Latin or Greek root but is derived from a proper noun, indicating its connection to a person rather than a linguistic root.

Memory Tip

Think of the name 'Samarsky' to remember that samarium is named after a person, specifically a mining engineer.

Visually Confused Words