a heavy toxic silvery-white radioactive metallic element; occurs in many isotopes; used for nuclear fuels and nuclear weapons
"The reactor core contained highly enriched uranium to generate electricity through controlled nuclear fission."
The element with atomic number 92 and symbol U: a radioactive silvery-grey metal in the actinide series.
"Uranium is a highly unstable, silvery-grey metal that naturally occurs in uranium ore deposits around the world."
In plain English: Uranium is a rare and heavy metal that can be used to make nuclear power plants work but also creates dangerous radiation if not handled carefully.
"Uranium is a radioactive element used to generate electricity in nuclear power plants."
Usage: Uranium is primarily known as a heavy, naturally occurring radioactive metal used to fuel nuclear reactors and weapons rather than for general construction or jewelry. It should not be confused with other metals like uranium ore, which refers specifically to the rock containing the element but lacks its pure metallic properties.
The name uranium comes from the planet Uranus with the addition of the suffix "-ium." It was named to honor the newly discovered planet.