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Dec 1, 2009
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plat•i•num



Pronunciation: (plat'n-um, plat'num), [key]
—n.
1. Chem.a heavy, grayish-white, highly malleable and ductile metallic element, resistant to most chemicals, practically unoxidizable except in the presence of bases, and fusible only at extremely high temperatures: used for making chemical and scientific apparatus, as a catalyst in the oxidation of ammonia to nitric acid, and in jewelry. Symbol: Pt; at. wt.: 195.09; at. no.: 78; sp. gr.: 21.5 at 20°C.
2. a light, metallic gray with very slight bluish tinge when compared with silver.

—adj.
1. made of platinum.
2. Music Slang.(of a recording or record album) having sold a minimum of two million single records or one million LPs.

Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.

platinousplatinum black
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