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: a rare heavy metallic element that is obtained either as a gray powder or as a silver-white hard metal, is usually extracted as a by-product of molybdenum smelting, and is used especially in catalysts and alloys see Chemical Elements Table
Examples of rhenium in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Osmium can decay radioactively from rhenium, but the two behave differently when rocks melt.
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Rudy Molinek, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Aug. 2024
Mongolia is an acute illustration of the geopolitical, environmental, and economic challenges facing mineral-rich nations seeking to benefit from emerging technologies, whether supplying indium for flat-screen TVs, rhenium for jet engines, or gallium for smartphones.
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TIME, 14 May 2024
Too bad rhenium is one of the rarest elements on Earth.
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IEEE Spectrum, 26 Dec. 2023
Each cluster consists of an octahedron made of six rhenium atoms nestled within a cube made of eight selenium atoms, with a chlorine atom on the top and bottom of the cluster.
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IEEE Spectrum, 6 Nov. 2023
Problem is, rhenium is one of the rarest elements out there, crimping any plans to make widespread Re6Se8Cl2 production a thing.
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David Meyer, Fortune Europe, 7 Nov. 2023
To study the weathering of organic carbon in rocks, the team used a tracer element called rhenium.
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Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 5 Oct. 2023
Similarly, rhenium was known as dvi-manganese until 1926.
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Mark Lorch, Discover Magazine, 9 June 2016
The United States is more than 75% import reliant on an additional 10 critical minerals: antimony, barite, bauxite, bismuth, potash, rhenium, tellurium, tin, titanium concentrate, and uranium.
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Ariel Cohen, Forbes, 22 Sep. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rhenium.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
New Latin, from Latin Rhenus Rhine River
First Known Use
1925, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near rhenium
Cite this Entry
“Rhenium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rhenium. Accessed 18 Aug. 2024.
Kids Definition
Medical Definition
rhenium
noun
rhe·ni·um
ˈrē-nē-əm
: a rare heavy metallic element that resembles manganese, is obtained either as a powder or as a silver-white hard metal, and is used in catalysts for dehydrogenation and in thermocouples
—symbol Re
see Chemical Elements Table
More from Merriam-Webster on rhenium
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rhenium
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