Cd

symbol

the chemical element cadmium.

abbreviation

candela.

abbreviation, symbol

(in the UK) Command Paper (third series, 1900–18).

noun

a compact disc.

1. civil defence.
2. corps diplomatique (diplomatic corps).

noun, symbol

the chemical element of atomic number 48, a silvery-white metal.

early 19th century: from Latin cadmia ‘calamine’, so named because it is found with calamine in zinc ore. Compare with calamine.

noun, symbol

the SI unit of luminous intensity. One candela is the luminous intensity, in a given direction, of a source that emits monochromatic radiation of frequency 540 × 10¹² Hz and that has a radiant intensity in that direction of 1/683 watt per steradian.

1950s: from Latin, ‘candle’.

1. a small plastic disc on which music or other digital information is stored in the form of a pattern of metal-coated pits from which it can be read using laser light reflected off the disc.

   all the recordings have been reissued on compact disc