tungsten

[ tuhng-stuhn ]

noun

, Chemistry.

1. 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. : W; : 183.85; : 74; : 19.3.

tungsten

/ ˈtʌŋstən /

noun

1. 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 calledwolfram

tungsten

/ tŭng′stən /

1. 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.
2. Also called wolfram
3. See Periodic Table

Other Words From

• tung·sten·ic [tuhng-, sten, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tungsten¹

1760–70; < Swedish, equivalent to tung heavy + sten stone

Word History and Origins

Origin of tungsten¹

C18: from Swedish tung heavy + sten stone

Example Sentences

Hunt and her wife — the daughter of a tungsten mine worker who grew up in Bishop — moved here from Washington, D.C., in 2014 to be near family.

From Los Angeles Times

Rather than incandescent tungsten or wine and olive oil, however, these constantly morphing shapes carry sparkling pinpoints of light.

From Los Angeles Times

The catalysts required for the reaction — sodium or tungsten — are readily available and inexpensive, they say, and early tests show the process is likely scalable at industrial levels.

From Los Angeles Times

As this pellet was heated up by the laser, the metals were released from it into a surrounding H-radical-rich atmosphere, obtained by injecting hydrogen into the reaction chamber through a heated tungsten filament.

From Science Daily

The atoms in the sheet are made of repeating units consisting of two tungsten atoms to every carbon atom, which are arranged metaphorically like the dimpled surface of an egg carton.

From Science Daily