terbium

noun

ter·​bi·​um ˈtər-bē-əm How to pronounce terbium (audio)
: a metallic element of the rare-earth group with atomic number 65 that occurs naturally only in combination and that is used especially in alloys for electronic equipment and as a green phosphor (see phosphor sense 2) in electronic displays see Chemical Elements Table

Examples of terbium 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.
That means that most of the neodymium, dysprosium, and terbium that end up in EV motors, drones, wind turbines and even smartphones ... well, depending on supply and demand or even geopolitical landscape, China basically makes the rules. Joe Salas july 19, New Atlas, 19 July 2025 Crucially, in May the Kuantan plant produced its first batch of dysprosium and is expecting its first terbium this month. Charlie Campbell, Time, 17 June 2025 Those restrictions included terbium, 9 grams of which is typically used in a single-motor EV, AlixPartners data showed. Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 28 May 2025 Both dysprosium and terbium were on a list of materials which China temporarily banned from export to the U.S. earlier this year. Tim Treadgold, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for terbium

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Ytterby, Sweden

First Known Use

1843, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of terbium was in 1843

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Terbium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terbium. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

terbium

noun
ter·​bi·​um ˈtər-bē-əm How to pronounce terbium (audio)
: a rare metallic element see element

Medical Definition

terbium

noun
ter·​bi·​um ˈtər-bē-əm How to pronounce terbium (audio)
: a usually trivalent metallic element of the rare-earth group
symbol Tb
see Chemical Elements Table

More from Merriam-Webster on terbium

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!