germanium

American  

[jer-mey-nee-uhm] / dʒərˈmeɪ ni əm /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a scarce, metallic, grayish-white element, normally tetravalent, used chiefly in transistors. Ge; 72.59; 32; 5.36 at 20°C.

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germanium British  

/ dʒɜːˈmeɪnɪəm /

noun

1. a brittle crystalline grey element that is a semiconducting metalloid, occurring principally in zinc ores and argyrodite: used in transistors, as a catalyst, and to strengthen and harden alloys. Symbol: Ge; atomic no: 32; atomic wt: 72.61; valency: 2 or 4; relative density: 5.323; melting pt: 938.35°C; boiling pt: 2834°C

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germanium Scientific  

/ jər-mā′nē-əm /

1. A brittle, crystalline, grayish-white metalloid element that is found in coal, in zinc ores, and in several minerals. It is used as a semiconductor and in wide-angle lenses. Atomic number 32; atomic weight 72.59; melting point 937.4°C; boiling point 2,830°C; specific gravity 5.323 (at 25°C); valence 2, 4.

2. See Periodic Table

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Etymology

Origin of germanium

First recorded in 1885–90; German(y) + -ium

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

germanium

That means ReElement could potentially satisfy U.S. germanium demand and support allied supply chains abroad.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

The emitted gamma rays were detected with GRETINA, a high resolution germanium detector array capable of tracking individual gamma ray interactions.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 8, 2026

Dead batteries yield lithium, cobalt and nickel; LED screens contain germanium; circuit boards hold platinum and palladium; hard disks store rare earths -- e‑waste has long been described as a "gold mine" for critical minerals.

From Barron's ● Feb. 18, 2026

But China currently accounts for roughly one-third of global chip manufacturing — and also possesses a chokehold on critical minerals, such as gallium and germanium, that make chip manufacturing possible.

From MarketWatch ● Dec. 12, 2025

Who, then, will be the first to discover a use for indium, germanium, terbium, thulium, lanthanum, neodymium, scandium, samarium and others as unknown to us as tungsten was to our fathers?

From Creative Chemistry Descriptive of Recent Achievements in the Chemical Industries by Edwin E. Slosson