dysprosium

noun

dys·​pro·​si·​um dis-ˈprō-zē-əm 

-zh(ē-)əm

: an element of the rare-earth group that forms highly magnetic compounds see Chemical Elements Table

Examples of dysprosium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

To enhance detection, the plants were treated with sodium tungstate, which amplifies the light emitted by dysprosium. —Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 19 Apr. 2026

Both the extended sales agreement with Japan and the new deal with the U.S. include provision for the supply of another category of material classed as heavy rare earths which includes the elements terbium and dysprosium. —Tim Treadgold, Forbes.com, 17 Mar. 2026

The new rules bar exports of rare earths such as dysprosium, yttrium or samarium which play tiny but vital roles in cars, planes, weapons and consumer electronics. —Reuters, NBC news, 24 Feb. 2026

However, Greenland is rich in rare earth minerals, including neodymium, dysprosium, graphite, copper and lithium. —Steven Lamy, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, from Greek dysprósitos "difficult to access" (from dys- dys- + prósitos "approachable," verbal adjective of próseimi, prosiénai "to go toward, approach," from pros- pros- + eîmi, iénai "to go") + New Latin -ium -ium — more at issue entry 1

Note: The element was named by the first person to isolate it, the French chemist Paul Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran (1838-1912), reported in "Le holmine (ou terre X de M. Soret) contient au moins deux radicaux métalliques," Comptes rendus hebdomadaires des séances de l'Académie des Sciences, tome 102 (janvier-juin 1886), pp. 1003-04. The name was apparently given because several hundred fractionations ("plusieurs centaines de fractionnements") were required to isolate a sufficient amount of it to test spectroscopically.

First Known Use

1886, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dysprosium

• symposium

Kids Definition

dysprosium

noun

dys·​pro·​si·​um dis-ˈprō-zē-əm 

-zh(ē-)əm

: a chemical element that forms very magnetic compounds see element

Medical Definition

dysprosium

noun

dys·​pro·​si·​um dis-ˈprō-zē-əm  -zh(ē-)əm 

: an element of the rare-earth group that forms highly magnetic compounds

—symbol Dy see Chemical Elements Table