Definitions
Metallic element used to strengthen steel and alloys.
Word origin
From New Latin molybdaenum, from molybdaena (“any of various substances resembling lead”), from Ancient Greek μολύβδαινα (molúbdaina, “a plummet, piece of lead”), from μόλυβδος (mólubdos, “lead; graphite”), from an Anatolian word cognate with Lydian 𐤪𐤠𐤭𐤦𐤥𐤣𐤠 (mariwda, “dark”), from Proto-Indo-European *morkʷ-iyo-, from a root *morkʷ- (“dark”), cognate with English murk. Cf. Latin plumbum nigrum 'lead'. The suffix is + -um (“a chemical element”).
Used in a sentence
“Technical terms like ferrite, perlite, graphite, and hardenite were bandied to and fro, and when Paget glibly brought out such a rare exotic as ferro-molybdenum, Benson forgot that he was a master ship-builder, […]”
“At pH levels below 5, wheat yields may be low, molybdenum may become unavailable to plants, and other trace elements may be concentrated to toxic levels.”
“a quadruple bond between molybdenums”
Source: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0
Used as a crossword answer1 curated clues
01“Element 42”10 letters
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