lanthanum

noun lan·tha·num \-nəm\

Definition of LANTHANUM

: a white soft malleable metallic element that occurs in rare-earth minerals — see element table

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New Latin, from Greek lanthanein to escape notice — more at latent

First Known Use: 1841

Medical Dictionary

noun lan·tha·num \-nəm\

: a white soft malleable metallic element that occurs in rare-earth minerals—symbol La; see element table

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