Krypton is an element that is found in the air in the form of a gas. It is used in fluorescent lights and lasers.
krypton in British English
(ˈkrɪptɒn)
noun
an inert gaseous element occurring in trace amounts in air and used in fluorescent lights and lasers. Symbol: Kr; atomic no: 36; atomic wt: 83.80; valency: 0; density: 3.733 kg/m3; melting pt: –157.37°C; boiling pt: –153.23±0.10°C
Word origin
C19: from Greek, from kruptos hidden; see crypt
krypton in American English
(ˈkrɪpˌtɑn)
noun
a rare, gaseous chemical element, one of the noble gases, present in very small quantities in air: basically inert, it reacts with fluorine and some other elements under special conditions: symbol, Kr; at. no., 36
Word origin
ModL: so named (1898) by Ramsay (sense 2) and M. W. Travers (1872-1961), Brit chemists, its discoverers < Gr krypton, neut. of kryptos, hidden (see crypt), in ref. to their difficulty in isolating it
Examples of 'krypton' in a sentence
krypton
I stood out, collar up against the drizzle, and held up the krypton lamp.
Gash, Jonathan THE TARTAN RINGERS
Eleven o'clock I went with a krypton handlamp and a small jeweller's loupe to look at the painting.