lithium

American  

[lith-ee-uhm] / ˈlɪθ i əm /

noun

1. Chemistry. a soft, silver-white metallic element, the lightest of all metals, occurring combined in certain minerals. Li; 6.939; 3; 0.53 at 20°C.

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

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lithium British  

/ ˈlɪθɪəm /

noun

1. 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

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lithium Scientific  

/ lĭth′ē-əm /

1. 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.

2. See Periodic Table

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Etymology

Origin of lithium

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

Explanation

Lithium is a lightweight metal that's commonly used to make batteries. A compound made from this element, also called lithium, is a medication for treating bipolar disorder. Lithium is the lightest and least dense of all the solid elements. It doesn't exist in nature outside of minerals, and it must be extracted in order to be used. In fact, it was named for this quality: the Greek root of lithium is lithos, or "stone." Lithium is used to remove impurities from metals, to make batteries, and in heat-resistant glass, among other things. Lithium salts, or lithium carbonate, can treat the symptoms of some mental illnesses.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lithium

There is more vanadium in the Earth's crust than lithium, but it is less accessible and more volatile in economic terms.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

In 2010, a UPS cargo plane carrying more than 80,000 lithium batteries crashed after the shipment caught fire.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026

On commercial flights, the risk from cargo is twofold: passengers who have mistakenly packed a lithium battery in their checked luggage, and retailers shipping electronics without using mandated fire-safe packaging.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026

Controlled Thermal Resources wants to extract lithium from hot brine that will be used to power a geothermal electricity plant it plans to build.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026

Later on, lithium would revolutionize the treatment of bipolar disorder, but the drug would not be licensed in the United States until 1970.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield