tellurium Hear it!

tellurium Definition

tel·lu·rium (te lo̵or′ē əm, tə-)

noun

a rare, tin-white, brittle, nonmetallic chemical element, belonging to the same family of elements as sulfur and selenium and occurring naturally in mineral tellurite and tellurides: it is used as a glass tint, as an alloying material, and in thermoelectric converters: symbol, Te; at. no., 52

Etymology: ModL: coined (1798) by M. H. Klaproth (1743-1817), Ger chemist, for element discovered (1783) by F. J. M. von Reichenstein, Austrian mineralogist < L tellus, earth (see tellurian) + -ium, in contrast to uranium

tellurium Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • include: The most common additives are sulfur and lead, other elements used include tellurium, selenium and bismuth.

Browse dictionary entries near tellurium

  1. ‹ tellurite
  2. ‹ telluride
  3. ‹ telluric acid
  4. ‹ telluric
  5. ‹ tellurian
  6. ‹ telltale
  7. ‹ telling
  8. ‹ teller
  9. ‹ tellable
  10. ‹ tell off
  1. tellurize ›
  2. tellurous ›
  3. tellurous acid ›
  4. Tellus ›
  5. telly ›
  6. Telnet ›
  7. telo- ›
  8. telodynamic ›
  9. telome ›
  10. telomerase ›