tellurium

American  

[te-loor-ee-uhm] / tɛˈlʊər i əm /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a rare, lustrous, brittle, crystalline, silver-white element resembling sulfur in its properties, and usually occurring in nature combined with gold, silver, or other metals of high atomic weight: used in the manufacture of alloys and as a coloring agent in glass and ceramics. Te; 127.60; 52; 6.24.

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tellurium British  

/ tɛˈlʊərɪəm /

noun

1. a brittle silvery-white nonmetallic element occurring both uncombined and in combination with metals: used in alloys of lead and copper and as a semiconductor. Symbol: Te; atomic no: 52; atomic wt: 127.60; valency: 2, 4, or 6; relative density: 6.24; melting pt: 449.57±0.3°C; boiling pt: 988°C

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tellurium Scientific  

/ tĕ-lr′ē-əm /

1. A metalloid element that occurs as either a brittle, shiny, silvery-white crystal or a gray or brown powder. Small amounts of tellurium are used to improve the alloys of various metals. Atomic number 52; atomic weight 127.60; melting point 449.5°C; boiling point 989.8°C; specific gravity 6.24; valence 2, 4, 6.

2. See Periodic Table

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Etymology

Origin of tellurium

< New Latin (1798), equivalent to Latin tellūr- (stem of tellūs ) earth + -ium

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tellurium

After Mr. Trump returned to office, China imposed further export controls on tungsten, tellurium, bismuth, molybdenum, indium and seven medium and heavy rare earths, including dysprosium and terbium.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

On Feb. 4, 2025, Beijing issued Announcement No. 10, putting tungsten, tellurium, bismuth, molybdenum and indium-related items under export licensing.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 7, 2026

In the United States, this category includes minerals such as cobalt, nickel, manganese, lithium, tellurium, germanium, and many others.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 28, 2025

These include tungsten, which is difficult to source and a crucial material for the aerospace industry, tellurium, widely used for solar panels, and molybdenum, which is used to strengthen steel alloys.

From BBC ● Feb. 4, 2025

The presence of minute quantities of cadmium, lead, bismuth, antimony, arsenic, tin, tellurium and zinc renders gold brittle, 1⁄2000th part of one of the three metals first named being sufficient to produce that quality.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 2 "Gloss" to "Gordon, Charles George" by Various

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