tantalum
noun
tan·ta·lum
ˈtan-tə-ləm 
: a gray-white ductile acid-resisting metallic element found combined in rare minerals (such as tantalite and columbite) and used especially in electronic components see Chemical Elements Table
Examples of tantalum in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The plate is made of tantalum metal and doubles as a protective lid to shield the spacecraft’s delicate electronics.
—
Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Mar. 2024
Decorated on both sides and made of the rare metal tantalum, the triangular plate will seal the spacecraft’s sensitive electronics inside a vault to protect them from Jupiter’s harsh radiation.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 12 Mar. 2024
The movement is coated with black and tantalum grey treatments, highlighting its cutting-edge design.
—Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 31 Jan. 2024
Lead is toxic; scandium is prohibitively expensive; tantalum is a conflict material in Central Africa and, Defay says, best avoided.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 Nov. 2023
Today’s solution is to deposit copper interconnects within trenches lined with 2-nanometer-thick walls of tantalum nitride.
—IEEE Spectrum, 17 Feb. 2017
But some of the money will also be spent at Boston Metal’s facility in Brazil, which uses the same technology to produce specialty metals like tin, niobium, and tantalum.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Sep. 2023
The 42 mm timepiece is encased in tantalum, a rare, blue-grey, corrosion-resistant metal named after Tantalus of Greek mythology.
—Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 23 July 2023
But what about the mines that produced the tantalum or palladium in your transistors?
—WIRED, 24 Mar. 2023
Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Mar. 2024
Decorated on both sides and made of the rare metal tantalum, the triangular plate will seal the spacecraft’s sensitive electronics inside a vault to protect them from Jupiter’s harsh radiation.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 12 Mar. 2024
The movement is coated with black and tantalum grey treatments, highlighting its cutting-edge design.
—Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 31 Jan. 2024
Lead is toxic; scandium is prohibitively expensive; tantalum is a conflict material in Central Africa and, Defay says, best avoided.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 Nov. 2023
Today’s solution is to deposit copper interconnects within trenches lined with 2-nanometer-thick walls of tantalum nitride.
—IEEE Spectrum, 17 Feb. 2017
But some of the money will also be spent at Boston Metal’s facility in Brazil, which uses the same technology to produce specialty metals like tin, niobium, and tantalum.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Sep. 2023
The 42 mm timepiece is encased in tantalum, a rare, blue-grey, corrosion-resistant metal named after Tantalus of Greek mythology.
—Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 23 July 2023
But what about the mines that produced the tantalum or palladium in your transistors?
—WIRED, 24 Mar. 2023
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Dictionary Entries Near tantalum
Cite this Entry
“Tantalum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tantalum. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tantalum
noun
tan·ta·lum
ˈtant-ᵊl-əm
: a gray-white metallic element found in rare minerals and used especially in electronic devices see element
Medical Definition
tantalum
noun
tan·ta·lum
ˈtant-ᵊl-əm
: a hard ductile gray-white acid-resisting metallic element of the vanadium family found combined in rare minerals and sometimes used in surgical implants and sutures
—symbol Ta
see Chemical Elements Table
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