martensite

noun

mar·​tens·​ite ˈmär-tᵊn-ˌzīt How to pronounce martensite (audio)
: the hard constituent that is the chief component of quenched steel
martensitic adjective
martensitically adverb

Examples of martensite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This produces islands of austenite surrounded by a matrix of softer ferrite, with regions of harder bainite and martensite. John Johnson Jr., Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Aug. 2024 At the atomic level, there are principally four phases of auto steel, including the hardest yet most brittle, called martensite, and the more ductile austenite. John Johnson Jr., Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Aug. 2024 The martensite produced microcracks, which eventually grew into brittle fractures. John Brant, Popular Mechanics, 25 Oct. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'martensite.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adolf Martens †1914 German metallurgist

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of martensite was in 1898

Dictionary Entries Near martensite

Cite this Entry

“Martensite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/martensite. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.

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