tungsten
[ tuhng-stuh n ]
/ ˈtʌŋ stən /
noun Chemistry.
a rare, metallic element having a bright-gray color, a metallic luster, and a high melting point, 3410° C, and found in wolframite, tungstite, and other minerals: used in alloys of high-speed cutting tools, electric-lamp filaments, etc. Symbol: W; atomic weight: 183.85; atomic number: 74; specific gravity: 19.3.
Also called
wolfram.
Origin of tungsten
1760–70; < Swedish, equivalent to
tung heavy +
sten stone
OTHER WORDS FROM tungsten
tung·sten·ic [tuhng-sten-ik] /tʌŋˈstɛn ɪk/, adjectiveWords nearby tungsten
tungchow,
tunghwa,
tungo,
tungshan,
tungstate,
tungsten,
tungsten carbide,
tungsten lamp,
tungsten rating,
tungsten steel,
tungsten trioxide
Example sentences from the Web for tungsten
British Dictionary definitions for tungsten
tungsten
/ (ˈtʌŋstən) /
noun
a hard malleable ductile greyish-white element. It occurs principally in wolframite and scheelite and is used in lamp filaments, electrical contact points, X-ray targets, and, alloyed with steel, in high-speed cutting tools. Symbol: W; atomic no: 74; atomic wt: 183.85; valency: 2–6; relative density: 19.3; melting pt: 3422±20°C; boiling pt: 5555°C
Also called: wolfram
Word Origin for tungsten
C18: from Swedish
tung heavy +
sten
stone
Medical definitions for tungsten
tungsten
[ tŭng′stən ]
n. Symbol W
A hard brittle corrosion-resistant metallic element having the highest melting point of any metal and used in high-temperature structural materials and in electrical elements, notably lamp filaments. Atomic number 74.
wolfram
Scientific definitions for tungsten
tungsten
[ tŭng′stən ]
W
A hard, gray to white metallic element that is very resistant to corrosion. It has the highest melting point of all elements, and it retains its strength at high temperatures. It is used to make light-bulb filaments and to increase the hardness and strength of steel. Atomic number 74; atomic weight 183.84; melting point 3,410°C; boiling point 5,900°C; specific gravity 19.3 (20°C); valence 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Also called wolfram See Periodic Table.