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a whitish, malleable, active, divalent, metallic element, occurring in combination chiefly as barite or as witherite. Symbol: Ba; atomic weight: 137.34; atomic number: 56; specific gravity: 3.5 at 20°C.
Historical Examples

If sulfurous acid is present, it will be oxidized to sulfuric acid and precipitated as barium sulfate by the barium chlorid.
Detection of the Common Food Adulterants Edwin M. Bruce

Will she be able to illuminate a screen treated with platino-cyanide of barium?
The Shadow World Hamlin Garland

Sulphuric acid or sulphates is indicated by a soluble salt of barium throwing down a white precipitate insoluble in nitric acid.
Cooley’s Practical Receipts, Volume II Arnold Cooley

What weight of barium sulphate will be formed at the same time?
An Elementary Study of Chemistry William McPherson

barium sulphate occurs in nature in the form of heavy white crystals.
An Elementary Study of Chemistry William McPherson

Sulphates, estimated as barium sulphate, and calculated to K2SO4.
The Handbook of Soap Manufacture W. H. Simmons

Usually a small amount of potassium is present replacing part of the barium.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 1 Various

barium carbonate also gives a precipitate, and is useful in separations.
Poisons: Their Effects and Detection Alexander Wynter Blyth

An improvement consists in adding one ounce of carbonate of barium to the fluid while warm.
Secrets of Wise Men, Chemists and Great Physicians William K. David

The mass is then taken up with water, and chloride of barium added to the solution.
Legal Chemistry A. Naquet

noun
a soft silvery-white metallic element of the alkaline earth group. It is used in bearing alloys and compounds are used as pigments. Symbol: Ba; atomic no: 56; atomic wt: 137.327; valency: 2; relative density: 3.5; melting pt: 729°C; boiling pt: 1805°C
n.

1808, coined in Modern Latin by its discoverer, English chemist Sir Humphrey Davy (1778-1829), because it was present in the mineral barytes “heavy spar” (barium sulphate), so named by Lavoisier from Greek barys “heavy” (see grave (adj.)). The metal is actually relatively light.

barium bar·i·um (bâr’ē-əm, bār’-)
n.
Symbol Ba
A soft alkaline-earth metal used to deoxidize copper. Atomic number 56; atomic weight 137.33; melting point 727°C; boiling point 1,897°C; specific gravity 3.50; valence 2.
barium
(bâr’ē-əm)
Symbol Ba
A soft, silvery-white metallic element of the alkaline-earth group. It occurs only in combination with other elements, especially in barite. Barium compounds are used in x-raying the digestive system and in making fireworks and white pigments. Atomic number 56; atomic weight 137.33; melting point 725°C; boiling point 1,140°C; specific gravity 3.50; valence 2. See Periodic Table.