ductility

noun

duc·​til·​i·​ty ˌdək-ˈti-lə-tē How to pronounce ductility (audio)
: the quality or state of being ductile
especially : the ability of a material to have its shape changed (as by being drawn out into wire or thread) without losing strength or breaking
When certain alloys are added to metal, hardness and strength can be improved without decreasing the ductility. Daniel A. Brandt

Examples of ductility in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The first, adopted in the 1990s and still widely employed, had a good combination of strength and ductility. John Johnson Jr., Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Aug. 2024 Some phases are harder, while others confer ductility, a measure of how much the metal can be bent and twisted out of shape without shearing and creating jagged edges that penetrate and tear squishy human bodies. John Johnson Jr., Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1644, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ductility was in 1644

Dictionary Entries Near ductility

Cite this Entry

“Ductility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ductility. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on ductility

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!