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

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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

Find insight on palm oil futures, lithium prices and more in the latest Market Talks covering basic materials.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026

The expansion plans aren’t helping lithium prices, which have at the same time been hurt by concerns about demand, particularly for battery energy storage systems, or BESS.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

Liontown approved a $273 million expansion of its Kathleen Valley lithium mine to increase production capacity by more than 50%.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

Using experimental detectors made from lithium fluoride crystals aboard the Orion spacecraft, researchers have obtained preliminary measurements that reveal unexpected differences in radiation exposure between the two environments.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 28, 2026

The Rad Lab’s letter reporting its own disintegrations of lithium went out to the journal Physical Review on September 15 and appeared in print two weeks later over the names of Lawrence, Livingston, and White.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

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