boron
n.n. a chemical element that is a solid metal but is not very hard. It is used in things like glass and medicine to help plants grow.
n. a metallic chemical element with the symbol B and atomic number 5. It is a metalloid with properties intermediate between metals and non-metals, often used in the production of glass and ceramics.
The plant needs boron to grow healthy fruit.
Engineers added boron to the steel alloy to increase its strength and resistance to high temperatures.
While boron is essential for plant development, its presence in soil must be carefully managed because it can be toxic to crops at concentrations higher than those required for growth.
From the stem of borax (boro-) + -on (based on carbon). Coined by British chemist Humphry Davy as a modification of his earlier word boracium.