titanium dioxide

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. a white, water-insoluble powder, TiO 2 , used chiefly in white pigments, plastics, ceramics, and for delustering synthetic fibers.

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titanium dioxide British  

noun

1. Also called: titanium oxide.   titanic oxide.   titania.  a white insoluble powder occurring naturally as rutile and used chiefly as a pigment of high covering power and durability. Formula: TiO 2

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titanium dioxide Scientific  

1. A white powder used as an opaque white pigment. It occurs naturally as the mineral rutile. Chemical formula: TiO ₂ .

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Etymology

Origin of titanium dioxide

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

The chemical maker posted lower sales in the fourth quarter, driven by weakness in titanium dioxide and products in its advanced materials business, such as Teflon.

From Barron's • Feb. 20, 2026

The second sees around 90% of its ore volume used for titanium dioxide , crucial for construction, automotive and consumer applications.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 12, 2026

The retail giant plans to nix ingredients including titanium dioxide, a food coloring, and azodicarbonamide, used to help bread rise consistently.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 1, 2025

The candymaker announced in late May that it would no longer use titanium dioxide, a potentially carcinogenic additive that was banned in the European Union in 2022, to make Skittles in the U.S.

From Salon • Jul. 23, 2025

Titanium, tī-tā′ni-um, n. a comparatively rare metal, occurring as a gray heavy iron-like powder, burning with brilliant scintillations in the air, forming titanium dioxide and nitride.—adjs.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various