erbium

[ ur-bee-uh m ]
/ ˈɜr bi əm /

noun Chemistry.

a rare-earth metallic element, having pink salts. Symbol: Er; atomic weight: 167.26; atomic number: 68.

Origin of erbium

1835–45; < New Latin, named after Ytterby, Sweden, where first found; see -ium

Example sentences from the Web for erbium

British Dictionary definitions for erbium

erbium
/ (ˈɜːbɪəm) /

noun

a soft malleable silvery-white element of the lanthanide series of metals: used in special alloys, room-temperature lasers, and as a pigment. Symbol: Er; atomic no: 68; atomic wt: 167.26; valency: 3; relative density: 9.006; melting pt: 1529°C; boiling pt: 2868°C

Word Origin for erbium

C19: from New Latin, from ( Ytt) erb ( y), Sweden, where it was first found + -ium

Medical definitions for erbium

erbium
[ ûrbē-əm ]

n. Symbol Er

A soft rare-earth element, used in metallurgy and nuclear research. Atomic number 68.

Scientific definitions for erbium

erbium
[ ûrbē-əm ]

Er

A soft, silvery, metallic element of the lanthanide series. It is used as a neutron absorber in nuclear technology and in light amplification for fiber-optic telecommunications. Atomic number 68; atomic weight 167.26; melting point 1,497°C; boiling point 2,900°C; specific gravity 9.051; valence 3. See Periodic Table.