scandium

noun

scan·​di·​um ˈskan-dē-əm How to pronounce scandium (audio)
: a silvery-white metallic element found widely especially in association with rare earth elements and used especially in alloys and in high-intensity electric lamps see Chemical Elements Table

Examples of scandium 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.
Ars Video Rare but not irreplaceable The export controls China announced earlier this month cover samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium, and yttrium—seven elements that belong to what is known as the rare earth family. ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2025 Rare but Not Irreplaceable The export controls China announced earlier this month cover samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium, and yttrium—seven elements that belong to what is known as the rare earth family. Zeyi Yang, Wired News, 23 Apr. 2025 The new restrictions — which encompass the medium and heavy rare earth elements samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium and yttrium — will require Chinese companies to secure special licenses to export the resources. Dylan Butts, CNBC, 15 Apr. 2025 China's Ministry of Commerce said seven categories of medium and heavy rare earths, including samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium and yttrium-related items would be on this list. John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025 Finally, scandium, used in aluminum alloys for aerospace components, has been identified as a byproduct of processing titanium ores. Scott L. Montgomery, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2025 Critical minerals that aren’t being mined – yet Geologists have identified potentially significant volumes in Ukraine of three other types of critical minerals important for energy, military and other uses: lithium, rare earth metals and scandium. Scott L. Montgomery, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2025 For example, scandium, which is often used in military applications, is priced at over $270 for a single gram. Jeffrey Weng, National Review, 20 Dec. 2024 Lead is toxic; scandium is prohibitively expensive; tantalum is a conflict material in Central Africa and, Defay says, best avoided. IEEE Spectrum, 29 Nov. 2023

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin Scandia, ancient name of southern Scandinavian peninsula

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of scandium was in 1879

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scandium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scandium. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

scandium

noun
scan·​di·​um ˈskan-dē-əm How to pronounce scandium (audio)
: a silvery white metallic element found together with other rare elements see element

Medical Definition

scandium

noun
scan·​di·​um ˈskan-dē-əm How to pronounce scandium (audio)
: a white trivalent metallic element found in association with rare earth elements
symbol Sc
see Chemical Elements Table

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