beryllium

noun

be·​ryl·​li·​um bə-ˈri-lē-əm How to pronounce beryllium (audio)
: 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
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.
Emeralds are mainly made up of the mineral beryl, which is made from the elements beryllium, aluminum, silicon and oxygen. Daniel Freedman, The Conversation, 4 Feb. 2025 The main feature is a deformable mirror, which is a thin, reflective surface that can be made from a variety of materials, including glass, beryllium, molybdenum, and composites. Sidd Bikkannavar, IEEE Spectrum, 26 Feb. 2010 The coveted minerals include lithium, titanium, cobalt, beryllium, and others required for many of the critical products of the 21st century – from electric vehicle batteries and microchips to aerospace components. Howard Lafranchi, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Mar. 2025 Ukraine Is Mineral Rich Ukraine has some of the world’s largest deposits of graphite, lithium, titanium, beryllium, and uranium, all of which are critical in developing and supporting AI, quantum computing, non-fossiuel propulsion, and other 21st century technologies. Eli Amdur, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for beryllium

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek bēryllion

First Known Use

circa 1847, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of beryllium was circa 1847

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Cite this Entry

“Beryllium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beryllium. Accessed 12 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

beryllium

noun
be·​ryl·​li·​um bə-ˈril-ē-əm How to pronounce beryllium (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce beryllium (audio)
: a steel-gray light strong brittle toxic bivalent metallic element used chiefly as a hardening agent in alloys
symbol Be
see Chemical Elements Table

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