germanium

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A brittle, crystalline, gray-white metalloid element, widely used as a semiconductor, as an alloying agent and catalyst, and in certain optical glasses. Atomic number 32; atomic weight 72.59; melting point 937.4°C; boiling point 2,830°C; specific gravity 5.323 (at 25°C); valence 2, 4. See Table at element.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. Chemical symbol, Ge; specific gravity, 5.469; atomic weight, 72.3. An element discovered in 1885 by Winkler in the mineral argyrodite, which is a sulphid of germanium and silver. It is a metal of gray-white color and fine metallic luster, and crystallizes in octahedrons. It melts at about 900° C. It does not tarnish in air at ordinary temperature, is insoluble in hydrochloric acid, is oxidized by nitric acid, and dissolves in aqua regia. In the periodic system germanium takes the place of the hypothetical eka-silicium, between gallium and arsenic on the one hand and silicon and zinc on the other. Germanium is also said to be present in the mineral euxenite.
2. n. The discovery of this chemical element in 1885 constituted the third verification of Mendelejeff's prediction that elements, unknown when his periodic law was pointed out, would later be discovered having approximately certain atomic weights and certain properties which he indicated. Germanium has been found in argyrodite from Saxony and also in minerals from Bolivia.

Wiktionary

1. n. A nonmetallic chemical element (symbol Ge) with an atomic number of 32.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Chem.) A rare element, discovered in 1885 in a silver ore (argyrodite) at Freiberg. It is a brittle, silver-white metal, chemically intermediate between the metals and nonmetals, resembles tin, and is in general identical with the predicted ekasilicon. Symbol Ge. Atomic number 32. Atomic weight 72.59. It has excellent semiconductor properties, and is used in transistors and diodes.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a brittle grey crystalline element that is a semiconducting metalloid (resembling silicon) used in transistors; occurs in germanite and argyrodite