zirconium: Meaning and Definition of

zir•co•ni•um

1. a metallic element found combined in zircon, baddeleyite, etc., resembling titanium chemically: used in steel metallurgy, as a scavenger, as a refractory, and as an opacifier in vitreous enamels. Symbol: Zr; at. wt.: 91.22; at. no.: 40; sp. gr.: 6.49 at 20°C.