a silvery metallic element of the lanthanide series occurring chiefly in monazite and bastnaesite and used in carbon-arc lighting, as a doping agent in laser crystals, and as a neutron-absorber. Symbol: Sm; atomic no: 62; atomic wt: 150.36; valency: 2 or 3; relative density: 7.520; melting pt: 1074°C; boiling pt: 1794°C
Word origin
C19: New Latin, from samarskite + -ium
samarium in American English
(səˈmɛriəm; səˈmæriəm)
noun
a chemical element, one of the rare-earth elements: symbol, Sm; at. no., 62
Word origin
ModL: so named (1879) by Boisbaudran (see gallium) < Fr samarskite (see samarskite), in which it occurs + -ium