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

Tighter tungsten export control by China China will start limiting exports of tungsten this weekend, as part of measures that control the flow of goods that can be used for both military and civilian purposes. —Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 29 Nov. 2024

One of the concerns scientists have about fusion reactors has to do with tungsten. —Michael Franco, New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2024

High urinary tungsten, uranium and cobalt levels were associated with 45%, 39% and 47% higher coronary calcification levels over the follow-up period, respectively. —Kristen Rogers, CNN, 20 Sep. 2024

But when the super hot plasma that's held inside these reactors bumps into walls lined in tungsten, some of the metal's atoms pop off and join the plasma. —Michael Franco, New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2024

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