lithium

[ lith-ee-uhm ]

/ ˈlɪθ i əm /

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noun

Chemistry. a soft, silver-white metallic element, the lightest of all metals, occurring combined in certain minerals. Symbol: Li; atomic weight: 6.939; atomic number: 3; specific gravity: 0.53 at 20°C.

Pharmacology. the substance in its carbonate or citrate form used in the treatment or prophylaxis of bipolar disorder or mania.

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Origin of lithium

From New Latin, dating back to 1810–20; see origin at lith-, -ium

Words nearby lithium

lithiasis, lithia water, lithic, lithification, lithify, lithium, lithium aluminum hydride, lithium carbonate, lithium chloride, lithium citrate, lithium fluoride

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use lithium in a sentence

The rechargeable lithium battery provides 21 days of battery life with an additional 3 with solar charging, so you won’t find yourself stranded.
The best gadgets to track your fitness|PopSci Commerce Team|January 19, 2021|Popular-Science
Beneath the Atacama Salt Flat, a Rhode Island-sized expanse of salts, a major source of lithium is locked in an underground reservoir.
Chile’s new constitution could rewrite the story of lithium mining|Ian Morse|December 22, 2020|Quartz
In a lithium-metal battery, that anode is made from lithium itself.
This super-energy-dense battery could nearly double the range of electric vehicles|James Temple|December 8, 2020|MIT Technology Review
Smartwatch batteries started as liquid lithium batteries, but most commonly now use rechargeable batteries of lithium-ion polymer technology.
Best smartwatch: Five things to consider|Eric Alt|November 28, 2020|Popular-Science

Another study from 2010 found that not only are battery ingestions increasing, but those incidents are becoming more likely to end in death or a severe medical event, partly because of a trend toward higher-voltage lithium cells.
Stop Eating Batteries Already|Fiona Zublin|November 27, 2020|Ozy
I have previously drawn attention to the cargo aboard Flight 370, which included a large consignment of lithium-ion batteries.
The Flight 370 Zombie Theory Rises From the Dead|Clive Irving|June 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Last week it made five recommendations directed at the testing and certification of lithium-ion batteries.
NTSB Doesn’t Think the Boeing 787 Dreamliner Is Safe Enough to Fly|Clive Irving|May 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Lithium-ion batteries will further increase underwater performance.
Tomorrow’s Stealthy Subs Could Sink America’s Navy|Bill Sweetman|May 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
How can this saga of the lithium-ion batteries be tied to the fate of Flight 370?
Passenger Flights Must Stop Carrying Lithium-Ion Batteries as Cargo|Clive Irving|May 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A month after that announcement, unaccustomed daylight was forced upon the lithium-ion battery industry.
Passenger Flights Must Stop Carrying Lithium-Ion Batteries as Cargo|Clive Irving|May 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Besides the hexamethylenamin, Uriseptin contains lithium and a benzoate.
The Propaganda for Reform in Proprietary Medicines, Vol. 1 of 2|Various
According to our chemists, the chief ingredients of Uriseptin are hexamethylenamin and lithium benzoate.
The Propaganda for Reform in Proprietary Medicines, Vol. 1 of 2|Various
It is further known that lithium salts do not possess any great medicinal virtue.
The Propaganda for Reform in Proprietary Medicines, Vol. 1 of 2|Various
Just what acid citro-tartrate of lithium may be is hard to tell, for chemistries do not recognize such a substance.
The Propaganda for Reform in Proprietary Medicines, Vol. 1 of 2|Various
Accepting this theory, it was inevitable that mineral waters containing lithium salts should become highly popular.
The Propaganda for Reform in Proprietary Medicines, Vol. 1 of 2|Various

British Dictionary definitions for lithium

lithium

/ (ˈlɪθɪəm) /

noun

a soft silvery element of the alkali metal series: the lightest known metal, used as an alloy hardener, as a reducing agent, and in batteries. Symbol: Li; atomic no: 3; atomic wt: 6.941; valency: 1; relative density: 0.534; melting pt: 180.6°C; boiling pt: 1342°C

Word Origin for lithium

C19: New Latin, from litho- + -ium

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for lithium

lithium

[ lĭth′ē-əm ]

A soft, silvery metallic element of the alkali group that occurs in small amounts in some minerals. It is the lightest of all metals and is highly reactive. Lithium is used to make alloys, batteries, glass for large telescopes, and ceramics. Atomic number 3; atomic weight 6.941; melting point 179°C; boiling point 1,317°C; specific gravity 0.534; valence 1. See Periodic Table.