beryllium

noun

be·​ryl·​li·​um bə-ˈri-lē-əm 

: a chemical element of the alkaline earth metal group with atomic number 4 that occurs naturally in minerals such as beryl and is steel-gray in color, light and strong but brittle, and is used chiefly as a hardening agent in alloys see Chemical Elements Table

Examples of beryllium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The odds that any particular graviton will interact with the beryllium bar are low, but the wave will contain so many gravitons that the overall odds of at least one interaction are high. —Charlie Wood, Quanta Magazine, 30 Oct. 2024

The company goes on to say that Diva Utopia’s beryllium M-profile tweeters can deliver high-frequency reproduction with remarkable accuracy. —Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024

To catch kaons in the act, the experiment sprays a hose of protons at an unmoving target of beryllium atoms. —Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2024

The original plan was to use beryllium, but plasma can erode it. —Bydaniel Clery, science.org, 3 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek bēryllion

First Known Use

circa 1847, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

beryllium

noun

be·​ryl·​li·​um bə-ˈril-ē-əm 

: a steel-gray light strong brittle toxic metallic element used chiefly to help harden alloys see element

Medical Definition

beryllium

noun

be·​ryl·​li·​um bə-ˈril-ē-əm 

: a steel-gray light strong brittle toxic bivalent metallic element used chiefly as a hardening agent in alloys

—symbol Be see Chemical Elements Table