niobium
Americannoun
noun
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A soft, silvery, ductile metallic element that usually occurs in nature together with the element tantalum. It is used to build nuclear reactors, to make steel alloys, and to allow magnets to conduct electricity with almost no resistance. Atomic number 41; atomic weight 92.906; melting point 2,468°C; boiling point 4,927°C; specific gravity 8.57; valence 2, 3, 5.
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See Periodic Table
Etymology
Origin of niobium
From New Latin, dating back to 1835–45; see origin at Niobe, -ium
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It is called Tanbreez, a neologism that refers to tantalum, niobium, rare-earth elements and zirconium.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Kenya opened a tender in April for the exploitation of Mrima Hill in Kwale County, estimated to contain 5.8 million tonnes of niobium and 48.7 million tonnes of rare earth elements.
From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026
Overall, 25 of 34 minerals deemed "critical raw materials" by the European Commission are found in Greenland, including graphite, niobium and titanium, according to the 2023 Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland.
From BBC ● Jan. 23, 2026
For the past 15 years, niobium has been sitting on the bench after experiencing a few mediocre at-bats as a core qubit material.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 26, 2024
Are there planets where the inhabitants proudly display pendants of niobium and bracelets of protactinium, while gold is a laboratory curiosity?
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
