tungsten

American  

[tuhng-stuhn] / ˈtʌŋ stən /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a rare, metallic element having a bright-gray color, a metallic luster, and a high melting point, 3410° C, and found in wolframite, tungstite, and other minerals: used in alloys of high-speed cutting tools, electric-lamp filaments, etc. W; 183.85; 74; 19.3.

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tungsten British  

/ ˈtʌŋstən /

noun

1. Also called: wolfram. a hard malleable ductile greyish-white element. It occurs principally in wolframite and scheelite and is used in lamp filaments, electrical contact points, X-ray targets, and, alloyed with steel, in high-speed cutting tools. Symbol: W; atomic no: 74; atomic wt: 183.85; valency: 2–6; relative density: 19.3; melting pt: 3422±20°C; boiling pt: 5555°C

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tungsten Scientific  

/ tŭng′stən /

1. A hard, gray to white metallic element that is very resistant to corrosion. It has the highest melting point of all elements, and it retains its strength at high temperatures. It is used to make light-bulb filaments and to increase the hardness and strength of steel. Atomic number 74; atomic weight 183.84; melting point 3,410°C; boiling point 5,900°C; specific gravity 19.3 (20°C); valence 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

2. Also called wolfram

3. See Periodic Table

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Other Word Forms

• tungstenic
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of tungsten

1760–70; < Swedish, equivalent to tung heavy + sten stone

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tungsten

“But we’re getting there around long-term tungsten supply.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026

Defense Department has moved to wean itself off such shipments with a pending ban on Chinese tungsten, as well as a $450 million investment in a U.S. producer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026

France has long produced tungsten in the southern region of Ariege, at the former Salau mine, which some would like to reopen.

From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026

These coatings could help prevent tungsten from entering the plasma while reducing heat losses, making it easier to maintain the extreme conditions necessary for fusion.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 10, 2026

They had fenced off the parallel faces of each dee with a grid of fine tungsten wires to prevent the electrical field from impinging within the dees while allowing the particle beam to pass through.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

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