1
: a silver-white metallic element of the alkaline earth metal group with atomic number 56 that is used especially in drilling fluid, as a getter in vacuum tubes, and as a contrast agent in medical imaging see Chemical Elements Table
2
Examples of barium in a Sentence
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Instead, lithium niobate — which is more stable and easier to fabricate, even if its properties don’t quite measure up with those of barium titanate — filled that role instead.
—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2025
In other cases, the academic community has known for decades that the EPA exposure limits are far too high, leaving people vulnerable to toxic doses of hazardous compounds, such as lead, lithium and barium.
—Nina Dietz, Wired News, 27 Sep. 2025
In this particular case, nucleation particles with the element barium were better at triggering a freeze.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 28 Aug. 2025
Vapor tracers typically contain barium, lithium and an aluminum compound — similar to the materials used to make colorful fireworks — according to NASA.
—Denise Chow, NBC news, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for barium
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Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2025
In other cases, the academic community has known for decades that the EPA exposure limits are far too high, leaving people vulnerable to toxic doses of hazardous compounds, such as lead, lithium and barium.
—Nina Dietz, Wired News, 27 Sep. 2025
In this particular case, nucleation particles with the element barium were better at triggering a freeze.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 28 Aug. 2025
Vapor tracers typically contain barium, lithium and an aluminum compound — similar to the materials used to make colorful fireworks — according to NASA.
—Denise Chow, NBC news, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for barium
Cite this Entry
“Barium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barium. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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Medical Definition
barium
noun
bar·i·um
ˈbar-ē-əm, ˈber- 
1
: a silver-white malleable toxic bivalent metallic element of the alkaline-earth group that occurs only in combination
—symbol Ba
see Chemical Elements Table
2
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