sodium

noun

so·di·um ˈsō-dē-əm

: a silver-white soft waxy ductile element of the alkali metal group with atomic number 11 that occurs abundantly in nature in combined form and is very active chemically see Chemical Elements Table

: salt sense 1a, sodium chloride

—not used technically

reduced her sodium intake

a low-sodium diet

Examples of sodium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Rather than swapping to a low-sodium diet, using a blend that features one particular peptide isolated from the edible Hypsizygus marmoreus mushroom could mean drastically reducing salt intake for your health, without sacrificing flavor. — New Atlas, 18 Oct. 2026 The American Heart Association (AHA) currently recommends limiting your sodium to 2,300 mg per day, and ideally 1,500 mg per day. — Md Published, Verywell Health, 17 Oct. 2026 Overdoing it on sodium, a major component of salt, can raise blood pressure both in the short and long term. — Laura Bradley, HEALTH, 17 Oct. 2026 As for the green star, the main elements present are calcium, sodium and lithium, Hollands said. — Jack Guy, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sodium

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from English soda

First Known Use

1808, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of sodium was in 1808

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Phrases Containing sodium

Cite this Entry

Style

“Sodium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sodium. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

sodium

noun

so·di·um ˈsōd-ē-əm

: a soft waxy silver-white metallic element that is chemically very active and is common in nature in combined form see element

Medical Definition

sodium

noun

so·di·um ˈsōd-ē-əm

: a silver white soft waxy ductile element of the alkali metal group that occurs abundantly in nature in combined form and is very active chemically

—symbol Na see Chemical Elements Table

sodium

noun

Examples of sodium in a Sentence

Word History

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sodium

noun

Examples of sodium in a Sentence

Word History

Phrases Containing sodium

Rhymes for sodium

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on sodium

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

vocation

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes