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tantalum
noun
tan·ta·lum
ˈtan-tə-ləm
: a gray-white ductile acid-resisting metallic element found combined in rare minerals (such as tantalite and columbite) and used especially in electronic components see Chemical Elements Table
Examples of tantalum in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That’s because the Greek myth has lent its name to tantalum, a rare earth element crucial to the manufacture of phones and much more.
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Daniel Seifert, JSTOR Daily, 5 Feb. 2025
Those different groups have competed to benefit from the trade of minerals essential to the global electronics supply chain that include coltan, tantalum, gold, copper and — perhaps most significantly — cobalt.
—
Mithil Aggarwal, NBC News, 2 Feb. 2025
These materials include the rare earth metals graphite, niobium, platinum group metals, molybdenum, tantalum and titanium.
—
Sam Meredith, CNBC, 17 Jan. 2025
Central Asia is rich in coveted minerals including uranium, lithium, and tantalum, and holds some of the largest gas reserves in the world.
—
Tim Ryan, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
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Word History
Etymology
New Latin, from Latin Tantalus; from its inability to absorb acid
First Known Use
1809, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near tantalum
Cite this Entry
“Tantalum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tantalum. Accessed 12 Feb. 2025.
Kids Definition
tantalum
noun
tan·ta·lum
ˈtant-ᵊl-əm
: a gray-white metallic element found in rare minerals and used especially in electronic devices see element
Medical Definition
tantalum
noun
tan·ta·lum
ˈtant-ᵊl-əm
: a hard ductile gray-white acid-resisting metallic element of the vanadium family found combined in rare minerals and sometimes used in surgical implants and sutures
—symbol Ta
see Chemical Elements Table
More from Merriam-Webster on tantalum
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tantalum
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