has·si·um 
(hä
s
ē-
əm)
n. Symbol Hs An artificially produced radioactive element with atomic number 108 that has known isotopes with mass numbers ranging from 263 to 277, all of which decay by alpha particle emission or spontaneous fission. The isotope with the longest confirmed half-life (16.5 minutes) is Hs-277. See Periodic Table.
[From Medieval Latin Hassia, Hesse (German state containing Darmstadt, where the element was first synthesized).]