ytterbium

noun

yt·​ter·​bi·​um i-ˈtər-bē-əm How to pronounce ytterbium (audio)
: a soft metallic element of the rare-earth group that occurs especially with other rare earth elements in minerals and that has few commercial uses see Chemical Elements Table

Examples of ytterbium 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.
Ions of ytterbium and other such lanthanides have the right structure of electron orbitals to facilitate this process. — IEEE Spectrum, 16 Oct. 2025 Today, yttrium is used in lighting and flat screens; ytterbium in cancer treatments and earthquake monitoring; erbium in lasers and fiberoptic cables. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 17 June 2025 After cooling atomic clocks that trap single ions such as aluminum and ytterbium to absolute zero, the researchers manipulated their quantum states with laser pulses. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 20 Apr. 2026 IonQ uses individual atoms of ytterbium and barium as qubits within an ultra-high vacuum, protecting them from the outside world. — Aldo Svaldi, Mercury News, 19 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for ytterbium

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Ytterby, town in southern Sweden

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ytterbium was in 1879

Browse Nearby Words

ytterbic
ytterbium
ytterbium metal
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ytterbium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ytterbium. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

ytterbium

noun
yt·​ter·​bi·​um i-ˈtər-bē-əm How to pronounce ytterbium (audio)
: a metallic element that occurs in several minerals see element

Medical Definition

ytterbium

noun
yt·​ter·​bi·​um i-ˈtər-bē-əm How to pronounce ytterbium (audio)
: a bivalent or trivalent metallic element of the rare-earth group that resembles yttrium and occurs with it and related elements in several minerals
—symbol Yb see Chemical Elements Table

More from Merriam-Webster on ytterbium

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ytterbium

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