rare earth

noun

1
: any of a group of similar oxides of metals or a mixture of such oxides occurring together in widely distributed but relatively scarce minerals
2

Examples of rare earth in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Tokyo has since worked with mixed success to reduce its reliance on Chinese rare earth imports. Mahnoor Khan, Fortune Asia, 2 Sep. 2024 China’s rare earths trade shrunk further, with exports plunging by more than 40% in September from a year ago, and imports down by around 9%. Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2024 It's got everything: it's got the rare earth, it's got the oil, it's got the gas. Stephen Fowler, NPR, 24 Sep. 2024 The move shook Japan’s electronics sector and threatened to choke off global supplies of high-power magnets produced in Japan employing rare earths from China. Mahnoor Khan, Fortune Asia, 2 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for rare earth 

Word History

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rare earth was in 1875

Dictionary Entries Near rare earth

Cite this Entry

“Rare earth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rare%20earth. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

rare earth

noun
1
: any of a group of similar oxides of metals or a mixture of such oxides occurring together in widely distributed but relatively scarce minerals
2
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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