tungsten

noun

tung·​sten ˈtəŋ-stən 

: a gray-white heavy high-melting ductile hard polyvalent metallic element that resembles chromium and molybdenum in many of its properties and is used especially in carbide materials and electrical components (such as lamp filaments) and in hardening alloys (such as steel) see Chemical Elements Table

Examples of tungsten in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In February, China then announced export controls on five critical minerals, including tungsten, an extremely hard metal used for precision cutting tools, weapons and semiconductor production. —Evelyn Cheng,anniek Bao,sam Meredith, CNBC, 13 June 2025

The platter fits onto a polished stainless-steel spindle that rides on a precision tungsten carbide ball in the high tolerance DG X main bearing housing. —Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025

In fact, the very same tungsten mine recently re-opened in South Korea was part of an earlier mineral fight. —Duncan Money / Made By History, TIME, 8 Jan. 2025

Both molybdenum disulphide and tungsten diselenide belong to a group called transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). —Ars Technica, 2 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Swedish, from tung heavy + sten stone

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

tungsten

noun

tung·​sten ˈtəŋ-stən 

: a gray-white heavy hard metallic element that has many characteristics similar to chromium and molybdenum and is used especially for electrical purposes and to harden metal alloys (as steel) see element

Etymology

from Swedish tungsten, literally "heavy stone," from tung "heavy" and sten "stone"

Medical Definition

tungsten

noun

tung·​sten ˈtəŋ-stən 

: a gray-white heavy high-melting ductile hard polyvalent metallic element that resembles chromium and molybdenum in many of its properties and is used especially for electrical purposes and in hardening alloys (as steel)

—symbol W

called also wolfram

see Chemical Elements Table