Meaning & use
beryllium
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Meaning
noununcountablechemistry
A light, hard, silvery-gray metallic element, number four on the periodic table, used in alloys and in aerospace and electronic parts.
Grammar: No plural and no article for the substance: beryllium is toxic, not a beryllium.
Patterns
- beryllium in something
- made of beryllium
Beryllium is much lighter than steel but remarkably stiff.
The telescope's mirror segments are made of beryllium coated with a thin layer of gold.
Workers who handle beryllium dust must wear protective masks.
Common combinations
- beryllium alloy
- A beryllium alloy gives the spring its strength and flexibility.
- beryllium copper
- The connector is made of beryllium copper so it never loses its grip.
- beryllium oxide
- Beryllium oxide conducts heat well but must be handled with care.
- exposure to beryllium
- Long exposure to beryllium can damage the lungs.
- mine beryllium
- Most of the world's supply is mined in a few countries.
Word family
- beryl noun
- the mineral from which beryllium is extracted; emerald is one variety
- berylliosis noun
- a lung disease caused by breathing beryllium dust
Commonly confused: beryllium or beryl? beryllium or barium?
beryllium vs beryl
Beryl is a mineral and gemstone; beryllium is the metal element found in it.
beryllium vs barium
Barium is a different, much heavier element, number 56; the two names look alike in print.
Practice
Which sentence uses beryllium correctly?
Choose one answer.
Beryllium is an uncountable metallic element. It is not a gas, a countable object like a ring, or a food.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “beryllium”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.