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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
Examples of rare earth in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
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
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Word History
First Known Use
1875, in the meaning defined at sense 1
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
noun1
: any of a group of similar oxides of metals or a mixture of such oxides occurring together in widely distributed but relatively scarce minerals
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