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Glite Dictionary
thulium

thulium

1 9.9
A soft silver metal used in small X-ray machines
  • noun
  • /ˈθuːliəm/
  • Specialized
: tulio
  • The rare earth element thulium has a silvery appearance and is an essential material in certain electronics.

Examples

  • The rare earth element thulium is frequently used in portable X-ray devices because of its unique properties.

  • Scientists are researching thulium for its potential applications in medical imaging technology.

  • Someone help me with some oxygen and iodine and thorium and thulium and thallium La La La La La La La La La La la.

  • In 2009, a proposed six-year economic plan would have banned exports of terbium, dysprosium, yttrium, thulium, and lutetium.

    Academic text (2010)

Synonyms

Tm
vsthulium
  • Specialized
1 9.9

Symbol for thulium, a soft silvery metal used in some X-ray machines

is the physical soft silvery metal used in portable X-ray devices

Surface Forms

thulium singular
thuliums plural

Morphology

thulium = Thule (opaque) = thul + ium

Although the form reflects the proper name 'Thule' plus the element suffix '-ium', the meaning 'a particular rare-earth metal' is not inferable for most learners from that base.

Etymology

Thulium comes from Thule, an old name that meant the 'far north'. Chemists chose this name because the metal was found in rare minerals, so thulium is a rare, silvery element (symbol Tm) now used in small X-ray devices.