a colourless odourless gaseous element occurring in trace amounts in air; formerly considered inert it is now known to form compounds and is used in radio valves, stroboscopic and bactericidal lamps, and bubble chambers. Symbol: Xe; atomic no: 54; atomic wt: 131.29; valency: 0; density: 5.887 kg/m3; melting pt: –111.76°C; boiling pt: –108.0°C
Word origin
C19: from Greek: something strange
xenon in American English
(ˈziˌnɑn; ˈzɛnˌɑn)
noun
a heavy, colorless, gaseous chemical element, one of the noble gases, present in the air in minute quantities and found to react with fluorine and other reactive compounds and to form salts and acids in solution: used in bubble chambers, electric luminescent tubes, lasers, vacuum tubes, etc.: symbol, Xe; at. no., 54
Word origin
ModL < Gr, neut. of xenos, foreign, a stranger: so named (1898) by Ramsay (sense 2) & M. W. Travers (see krypton), as the hitherto unknown inert gas
Examples of 'xenon' in a sentence
xenon
There is some uncertainty regarding the legality of converting conventional headlamps to xenon ones.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Prices have fallen considerably in the past five years but xenon headlamps are still expensive.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Is it possible to have xenon bulbs fitted and at what cost?
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Inside a xenon bulb is a bubble of xenon gas that produces light when it is brought intocontact with an electric current.