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

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

The team tested the tampons for 16 heavy metals: arsenic, barium, calcium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, mercury, nickel, lead, selenium, strontium, vanadium and zinc. —Theara Coleman, theweek, 16 July 2024

The team ran tests for 16 heavy metals: arsenic, barium, calcium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, mercury, nickel, lead, selenium, strontium, vanadium and zinc. —Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 11 July 2024

During the study, sixteen different metals were tested for (arsenic, barium, calcium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, mercury, nickel, lead, selenium, strontium, vanadium, and zinc) and all of them were found. —Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 10 July 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

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