manganese
n. uncountablen. a hard, grey-white metal that is often mixed with iron to make steel stronger. It is also a mineral that your body needs in very small amounts to stay healthy.
n. a hard, brittle, silvery-grey metallic element with the atomic number 25. Frequently used as an alloying agent in steel production to improve strength and resistance to wear.
The factory uses manganese to make stronger steel parts.
Geologists discovered a large deposit of manganese ore in the mountains, which could provide raw materials for the local battery industry.
While essential for industrial metallurgy, manganese is also a vital trace mineral for human health, playing a key role in bone formation and the metabolism of carbohydrates and cholesterol.
From French manganèse, from Italian manganese, by alteration from Latin magnesia (“magnesia”), from Ancient Greek μαγνησία (magnēsía), after Μαγνησία (Magnēsía, “Magnesia”). Doublet of Magnesia, magnesia, and magnesium; more at magnet.
Uncountable when referring to the chemical element or the dietary mineral; countable only when referring to specific types or isotopes in a technical context.