What does cadmium mean?
Cadmium is a soft, silvery-bluish metallic chemical element with the symbol Cd and atomic number 48. It occurs in nature only in small quantities, typically as an impurity in zinc ores, and is obtained mainly as a by-product of zinc refining. Valued for its corrosion resistance, cadmium has been used in electroplating, in nickel–cadmium rechargeable batteries, in specialized alloys, and — most famously among artists — in intensely colored pigments known as cadmium red and cadmium yellow. The element and its compounds are highly toxic, however, and accumulating evidence of environmental harm has led to strict regulations on its use in batteries, coatings, and consumer goods. As a result, cadmium today carries strong associations with both industrial utility and hazard: it appears in chemistry textbooks, environmental reports about contaminated soil and water, and the labels of paint tubes, where its brilliant hues remain prized despite safety warnings.
nounA soft, bluish-white metallic chemical element (symbol Cd, atomic number 51) that is toxic and is used chiefly in electroplating, batteries, pigments, and alloys.
- The chemical element cadmium, a soft, toxic, bluish-white transition metal with symbol Cd and atomic number 48.
"The old nickel–cadmium batteries were carefully disposed of as hazardous waste."
"The artist squeezed a brilliant cadmium yellow from the tube."
"Regulators tightened limits on cadmium in rechargeable batteries because of its toxicity."
The plural is rare; it typically refers to multiple varieties of cadmium-based pigments rather than samples of the element itself.
"Her palette featured several rich cadmiums, from pale lemon yellow to deep vermilion red."
Cadmium was named after the Greek god Cadmus — the dragon-slaying founder of Thebes — because early chemists found it hiding inside zinc ore, just as Cadmus searched for his lost sister Europa.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cadmium
The name cadmium derives from Latin cadmia, meaning zinc oxide ore, which itself comes from Greek kadmeia (gē), 'Cadmean earth,' so called because such ores were found near Thebes, the city founded by the mythological hero Cadmus. The element was discovered around 1817 by German chemists Friedrich Stromeyer and Karl Samuel Leberecht Hermann, who identified it as an impurity in samples of zinc carbonate. Its naming thus links modern chemistry to one of the oldest figures in Greek mythology.
How cadmium is actually used
Almost exclusively used in scientific, industrial, artistic, and environmental contexts. Because cadmium compounds are highly toxic, mentions of it often carry connotations of pollution or hazard; in art supply contexts, "cadmium" refers to vivid pigment hues such as cadmium red and cadmium yellow.
Easily confused with cadmium
Potassium is a soft alkali metal essential to life (symbol K), whereas cadmium is a toxic heavy metal (symbol Cd) used in batteries and pigments.