Va-nā'di-ŭm, n.

n. [N. Lat. & Fr., from Vanadis, a surname of the Scandinavian goddess Freyja.] (Chem.) A metal, discovered by Sefström in 1830, having a white color, and a strong metallic luster, considerably resembling silver, but still more like molybdenum. It is extremely brittle, and is not oxidized either by air or water, though by continuous exposure to the atmosphere its luster grows weaker, and it acquires a reddish tint.