tungsten

noun tung·sten \ˈtəŋ-stən\

: a hard metal that is used to make the thin wire in light bulbs and to harden other metals (such as steel)

Full Definition of TUNGSTEN

: 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 (as lamp filaments) and in hardening alloys (as steel) — see element table

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Origin of TUNGSTEN

Swedish, from tung heavy + sten stone

First Known Use: 1796

TUNGSTEN Defined for Kids

tungsten

noun tung·sten \ˈtəŋ-stən\

Definition of TUNGSTEN for Kids

: a grayish white hard metallic chemical element used especially for electrical parts (as for the fine wire in an electric light bulb) and to make alloys (as steel) harder

Medical Dictionary

tungsten

noun tung·sten \ˈtəŋ-stən\

Medical Definition of TUNGSTEN

: 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 element table