tungsten

noun

tung·​sten ˈtəŋ-stən 

: a gray-white heavy high-melting ductile hard polyvalent metallic element that resembles chromium and molybdenum in many of its properties and is used especially in carbide materials and electrical components (such as lamp filaments) and in hardening alloys (such as steel) see Chemical Elements Table

Examples of tungsten in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These materials include aluminum, beryllium, cobalt, gallium, germanium, graphite, lithium, manganese, platinum, rare earth elements, titanium, and tungsten. —Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024

And Wednesday, Biden trade officials announced higher tariffs in Chinese solar wafers, polysilicon and tungsten. —Ben Geman, Axios, 12 Dec. 2024

The most likely possibility is that the tungsten came into Brahe's lab bound to some other mineral and when the alchemist got busy refining that substance, the tungsten got enriched as well. —Michael Franco, New Atlas, 25 July 2024

First, an electron accelerator speeds up and slams electrons into a nearby target made of tungsten. —IEEE Spectrum, 5 Aug. 2020

Word History

Etymology

Swedish, from tung heavy + sten stone

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

tungsten

noun

tung·​sten ˈtəŋ-stən 

: a gray-white heavy hard metallic element that has many characteristics similar to chromium and molybdenum and is used especially for electrical purposes and to harden metal alloys (as steel) see element

Etymology

from Swedish tungsten, literally "heavy stone," from tung "heavy" and sten "stone"

Medical Definition

tungsten

noun

tung·​sten ˈtəŋ-stən 

: a gray-white heavy high-melting ductile hard polyvalent metallic element that resembles chromium and molybdenum in many of its properties and is used especially for electrical purposes and in hardening alloys (as steel)

—symbol W

called also wolfram

see Chemical Elements Table