lanthanum

noun

lan·​tha·​num ˈlan(t)-thə-nəm 

: a white soft malleable metallic element that occurs in rare-earth minerals see Chemical Elements Table

Examples of lanthanum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Neodymium and dysprosium are used in the permanent magnets of wind turbines, lanthanum in electric and hybrid car batteries. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 11 July 2025

Ores are prized for their function over their form — end users don’t usually notice the various metals working in the background, the same way most people probably don’t think about the lanthanum and tungsten powering smartphones. — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 9 Mar. 2026

Rare earth materials found in Ukraine include lanthanum and cerium, which are used in TVs and lighting; neodymium, which is used in wind energy and batteries; and erbium and yttrium, which are used in lasers, Reuters reported. — Laura Kelly, The Hill, 16 Feb. 2025

Now a different lanthanum hydride (La4H23) has revealed similar if not quite equally impressive superconductivity stats. — IEEE Spectrum, 8 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek lanthanein to escape notice — more at latent

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

lanthanum

noun

lan·​tha·​num ˈlan(t)-thə-nəm 

: a white soft metallic element see element

Medical Definition

lanthanum

noun

lan·​tha·​num -nəm 

: a white soft malleable metallic element that occurs in rare-earth minerals

—symbol La see Chemical Elements Table