Palladium

The sense of "safeguard" comes from Latin Palladium (the image of Pallas that protected Troy), from Ancient Greek Παλλάδιον, from Παλλάς, an alternative name for Athena.

Full definition of palladium

Noun

1. A safeguard from a statue of Athena that was believed to safeguard the ancient city of Troy.
• BlackstoneThe trial by jury is the Palladium of our civil rights.

The element was named after Pallas, an asteroid that had been discovered two years before the element.

Noun

1. A metallic chemical element (symbol Pd) with an atomic number of 46.

Derived terms

Related terms

• Pallas