a hard brittle white element of the platinum metal group. It occurs free with other platinum metals in pentlandite and other ores and is used to harden platinum and palladium. Symbol: Ru; atomic no: 44; atomic wt: 101.07; valency: 0–8; relative density: 12.41; melting pt: 2334°C; boiling pt: 4150°C
Word origin
C19: from Medieval Latin Ruthenia Russia, where it was first discovered
ruthenium in American English
(ruˈθiniəm)
noun
a rare, very hard and brittle, silver-gray chemical element, one of the platinum metals, used as a hardener in alloys of platinum and palladium and as a catalyst: symbol, Ru; at. no., 44
Word origin
ModL: so named (1828) by G. W. Osann, Estonian-Russian chemist who produced it inimpure form < ML Ruthenia, Russia (source of the ore) + -ium