platinum

/'plætinəm/

Thân thiện

A jeweler carefully sets a platinum diamond ring in a velvet display case.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A heavy, precious metallic element: Platinum is a dense, valuable metal with the chemical symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is known for its silvery-white color, high resistance to corrosion and tarnishing, and significant malleability.
   • A specific type of metal: It is one of the platinum-group metals (PGMs) and is rarer than gold. It occurs naturally in some nickel and copper ores and can also be found in native (pure) deposits.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The wedding ring was made of platinum.
  • Platinum is used as a catalyst in catalytic converters for cars.
  • The price of platinum fluctuates on the commodities market.

Advanced Usage

• "Platinum blonde": A term for a very pale, silvery shade of blonde hair.
  • She dyed her hair platinum blonde for the movie role.
• "Platinum record": An award given to a musical recording for selling a very high number of copies (e.g., one million units in the US).
  • The band's latest album went platinum within a month.

Variants and Related Words

• Platinize (verb): To coat with platinum.
  • The electrodes were platinized to improve conductivity.
• Platinoid (adj/noun): Resembling platinum; or, an alloy resembling platinum.
• Platinum-group metals (PGMs) (noun): A category of six precious metals, including platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, and osmium.

Synonyms

• White gold (note: this is an alloy, not pure platinum, but often used in similar contexts for jewelry).
• Pt (the chemical symbol).

Related Phrases

• Platinum standard: Historically, a monetary system where a country's currency is directly convertible to a fixed weight of platinum. More commonly, it is a metaphor for the highest quality or benchmark in a field.
  • This certification is the platinum standard in the industry.

Idioms

• To go platinum: (Of a musical recording) to achieve sales qualifying for a platinum award.
  • Everyone predicted the single would go platinum.
• Platinum card/status: Refers to a high-tier credit card or loyalty program level offering premium benefits.
  • With his frequent travel, he qualified for the airline's platinum status.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a heavy precious metallic element; grey-white and resistant to corroding; occurs in some nickel and copper ores and is also found native in some deposits

Từ đồng nghĩa

• Pt
• atomic number 78