vanadium

noun

va·​na·​di·​um və-ˈnā-dē-əm 

: a silvery-grayish malleable ductile metallic element obtained from minerals and used especially to form alloys and in catalysts see Chemical Elements Table

Examples of vanadium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The majority were for uranium and vanadium, minerals that are in demand again, now that a new nuclear arms race is on, and tech companies are looking for fresh ways to power the AI revolution. —Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2025

Trump’s policies also position Tesla better with its lower EV cost structure relative to peers and leaves the company well-positioned to outgrow global LVP electric vehicles — or cars that use a lithium vanadium phosphate battery — with its more profitable EV plans, Rakesh said. —Pia Singh, CNBC, 17 Dec. 2024

The company has entered into a joint venture with Rimrock Exploration and Development Inc. to explore and develop certain uranium and vanadium mines in Colorado. —Quartz Bot, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024

Henry Ford was employing alloys of steel and vanadium more than a century ago to improve the performance of steel in his Model T, and alloy recipes continue to improve today. —John Johnson Jr., Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

latinization of Swedish Vanadin, from Old Norse Vanadīs, epithet of the goddess Freya (from vana-, stem of vanr, one of the Vanir + dís "woman, female supernatural being") + Swedish -in -in entry 1

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing vanadium

• vanadium pentoxide

Rhymes for vanadium

• palladium
• radium
• stadium

Kids Definition

vanadium

noun

va·​na·​di·​um və-ˈnād-ē-əm 

: a grayish metallic element found combined in minerals and used especially to form alloys (as of steel) see element

Medical Definition

vanadium

noun

va·​na·​di·​um və-ˈnād-ē-əm 

: a grayish malleable ductile polyvalent metallic element found combined in minerals and used especially to form alloys (as vanadium steel)

—symbol V see Chemical Elements Table