zirconium

noun

zir·​co·​ni·​um ˌzər-ˈkō-nē-əm 

: a steel-gray hard ductile metallic element with a high melting point that occurs widely in combined form (as in zircon), is highly resistant to corrosion, and is used especially in alloys and in refractories and ceramics see Chemical Elements Table

Examples of zirconium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This co-extrusion process involved encasing a metallic billet, composed of depleted uranium and zirconium, within a zirconium alloy cladding. —Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 23 Nov. 2025

This team focused on isotopes of iron, chromium, molybdenum, and zirconium found in 15 rock samples from Earth and six rocks collected from the moon by Apollo astronauts. —Robert Lea, Space.com, 20 Nov. 2025

To make the Bioceramic parts (the monobloc case, pushers and crown, battery cover, and loop on the Velcro bracelet), the raw ingredients—castor oil polymer, zirconium oxide powder, chemical pigments—are fed into an extrusion machine, which combines them at 200 °C. —Jeremy White, Wired News, 20 Nov. 2025

While aluminum can be bothersome to sensitive skin, its inclusion here (aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly) helps significantly reduce both moisture and odor. —Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 14 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from International Scientific Vocabulary zircon

First Known Use

1808, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing zirconium

• cubic zirconium

Rhymes for zirconium

• carbonium
• harmonium
• meconium
• plutonium
• polonium
• stramonium
• conium
• diazonium
• pandemonium
• pelargonium
• testimonium

Kids Definition

zirconium

noun

zir·​co·​ni·​um ˌzər-ˈkō-nē-əm 

: a steel-gray strong metallic element with a high melting point that is used especially in combination with other metals see element

Medical Definition

zirconium

noun

zir·​co·​ni·​um (ˌ)zər-ˈkō-nē-əm 

: a steel-gray strong ductile chiefly tetravalent metallic element with a high melting point

—symbol Zr see Chemical Elements Table