ENGLISH
REFERENCE

tungsten

n. uncountable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈtəŋstən// UK //tˈʌŋstən// tung·sten Archaic

n. a very hard, heavy, grey metal that can handle extremely high temperatures. It is often used to make the thin wires inside light bulbs.

n. a hard, dense, greyish-white metallic element with the highest melting point of all metals. Often used in alloys and electrical applications due to its thermal stability.


SIMPLE

The filament in this old light bulb is made of tungsten.

CONTEXTUAL

Engineers chose tungsten for the rocket nozzle because it can withstand the intense heat of the exhaust.

COMPLEX

Due to its exceptional hardness and density, tungsten is frequently utilized in the production of heavy metal alloys for aerospace and defense applications.

Synonyms
Origin

Borrowed from Swedish tungsten (“scheelite”), from tung (“heavy”) + sten (“stone”).

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the chemical element; can be countable when referring to specific types or grades of the metal in industrial contexts.

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