terbium

noun

ter·​bi·​um ˈtər-bē-əm How to pronounce terbium (audio)
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 See all Example Sentences for terbium 

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Ytterby, Sweden

First Known Use

1843, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of terbium was in 1843

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 How to pronounce terbium (audio)
: a rare metallic element see element

Medical Definition

terbium

noun
ter·​bi·​um ˈtər-bē-əm How to pronounce terbium (audio)
: a usually trivalent metallic element of the rare-earth group
symbol Tb
see Chemical Elements Table

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