rare earth

noun

1
: any of a group of similar oxides of metals or a mixture of such oxides occurring together in widely distributed but relatively scarce minerals
2

Examples of rare earth in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
China currently has the largest deposit of rare earth elements on Earth and remains the main global provider. Devika Rao, theweek, 1 Oct. 2024 Other entities rated the same in Japan include manufacturers in the nuclear, rare earths, and chip industries, as well as cybersecurity and infrastructure operators. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune Asia, 13 Sep. 2024 Last year, China slapped export controls on gallium and germanium — rare earths essential for manufacturing semiconductors — in response to restrictions by the US, the Netherlands, and Japan on the exports of some semiconductor equipment to China. Hanna Ziady, CNN, 14 Aug. 2024 Countries now want more redundancy in their supply chains for crucial products such as microchips, energy, and rare earth minerals. Rana Foroohar, Foreign Affairs, 28 Oct. 2022 See all Example Sentences for rare earth 

Word History

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rare earth was in 1875

Dictionary Entries Near rare earth

Cite this Entry

“Rare earth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rare%20earth. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

rare earth

noun
1
: any of a group of similar oxides of metals or a mixture of such oxides occurring together in widely distributed but relatively scarce minerals
2
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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