molybdenum
mo·lyb·de·num
noun
a polyvalent metallic element that resembles chromium and tungsten in its properties; used to strengthen and harden steel
Origin
From New Latin molybdaenum, from molybdaena (“any of various substances resembling lead”), from Ancient Greek μολύβδαινα (molúbdaina, “a plummet, piece of lead”), from μόλυβδος (mólubdos, “lead; graphite”), from an Anatolian word cognate with Lydian 𐤪𐤠𐤭𐤦𐤥𐤣𐤠 (mariwda, “dark”), from Proto-Indo-European *morkʷ-iyo-, from a root *morkʷ- (“dark”), cognate with English murk. Cf. Latin plumbum nigrum 'lead'. The suffix is + -um (“a chemical element”). Attested since the last quarter of 18th century.
Phrases
- molybdenum blue
- molybdenum carbonyl
- molybdenum chloride
- molybdenum disulfide
- molybdenum disulphide
- molybdenum hexacarbonyl
- molybdenum orange
- molybdenum oxide
Related words
Word family
Broader terms
Parts
WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.