Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
lead chromate

lead chromate

9.3
A bright yellow poisonous chemical used to make paint
  • noun
  • /lɛd ˈkroʊmeɪt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cromato de plomo
  • The artist used lead chromate to create vibrant yellow hues.

Examples

  • The use of lead chromate in children's toys has been banned due to its toxicity.

  • Artists once favored lead chromate as a pigment, despite its hazardous properties.

  • Objects painted with lead chromate were often prized for their bright yellow color.

  • Many painters prefer lead chromate for its opacity.

  • The vibrant color of the painting is due to the use of lead chromate as a pigment.

  • Artists often prefer lead chromate for its brilliant yellow shade in oil paints.

  • Caution is advised when handling lead chromate, as it is a toxic substance.

Synonyms

chrome yellow
vslead chromate
  • Archaic
1 8.5

A bright yellow paint made from lead and used for painting

is the pure toxic chemical itself rather than the mixed pigment form

Surface Forms

lead chromate singular
lead chromates plural

Morphology

lead + chromate

The term is a regular chemical compound name formed compositionally from 'lead' + 'chromate', so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it denotes a compound of lead and the chromate anion. While detailed properties (that it is a yellow pigment and poisonous) require specialized knowledge, the basic identification as a lead–chromate chemical is directly derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Lead chromate is the name for a bright material made from the metal lead and a chemical part from the metal chromium called chromate. Because this mix gives a strong 'yellow' color and is 'poisonous', the name came to mean the yellow paint pigment people once used but later avoided.