A metallic element, atomic no. 74, atomic wt. 183.85. SYN: wolfram, wolframium. [Swed. tung, heavy, + sten, stone]
- t. carbide one of the hardest known materials, used as an abrasive and in the manufacture of dental cutting instruments.
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tung·sten 'təŋ-stən n a gray-white heavy high-melting ductile hard polyvalent metallic element that resembles chromium and molybdenum in many of its properties and is used esp. for electrical purposes and in hardening alloys (as steel) symbol W called also wolfram see ELEMENT (table)
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tung·sten (W) (tungґstən) [Swed. “heavy stoneâ€] the chemical element of atomic number 74, and atomic weight 183.85; used in electric light filaments and in steel alloys to secure hardness.Medical dictionary. 2011.