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terbium
noun
ter·bi·um
ˈtər-bē-əm
: a metallic element of the rare-earth group with atomic number 65 that occurs naturally only in combination and that is used especially in alloys for electronic equipment and as a green phosphor (see phosphor sense 2) in electronic displays see Chemical Elements Table
Examples of terbium in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Neodymium, dysprosium, and terbium are used to build the tiny mechanism that makes your phone vibrate.
—Vince Beiser, WIRED, 30 Nov. 2024
Sourcing solutions Rare earth elements like lanthanum, neodymium and terbium are used in powering several clean energy technologies, including electric vehicles and wind turbines.
—Devika Rao, theweek, 1 Oct. 2024
Rare earth elements, such as lanthanum, neodymium and terbium, are critical for helping the world break its long, destructive relationship with planet-heating fossil fuels.
—Laura Paddison, CNN, 24 Sep. 2024
Dysprosium and terbium, two other rare earths, are sometimes mixed into magnets made for particularly demanding products, like wind turbines and U.S. submarines.
—Andrew Zaleski, Popular Mechanics, 22 Aug. 2023
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Word History
Etymology
New Latin, from Ytterby, Sweden
First Known Use
1843, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near terbium
Cite this Entry
“Terbium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terbium. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
terbium
noun
ter·bi·um
ˈtər-bē-əm
: a rare metallic element see element
Medical Definition
terbium
noun
ter·bi·um
ˈtər-bē-əm
: a usually trivalent metallic element of the rare-earth group
—symbol Tb
see Chemical Elements Table
More from Merriam-Webster on terbium
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about terbium
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