lithium

C1 Topic:Science & Research

US /ˈlɪθ.i.əm/ UK /ˈlɪθ.i.əm/ See IPA manual

Freq #21733

Meanings

1

noun
the chemical element with symbol Li and atomic number 3, a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive alkali metal and the lightest metal

Lithium metal reacts vigorously with water and therefore does not occur uncombined in nature.
2

noun
a lithium salt used medically as a mood stabilizer, especially in the treatment of bipolar disorder

The psychiatrist prescribed lithium as a mood stabilizer and monitored the patient's blood levels.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 noun · a lithium salt used... lithium salt

Word family

Derived forms lithiationlithiatedorganolithium

Related forms alkali metallithium-ion batterylithium carbonatepetalitespodumene

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

lithium carbonate
a white lithium compound used in glassmaking, ceramics, and certain medicines

Noun + noun

Etymology

Named in 1817 from New Latin lithia ("lithium oxide") + -ium; lithia was formed from Greek lithos ("stone"). Johan August Arfwedson identified the element in the mineral petalite, and the name emphasized its mineral source, unlike sodium and potassium, which had first been obtained from plant ashes.

Topics

Science & Research

External links

# lithium

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈlɪθ.i.əm/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈlɪθ.i.əm/
**Frequency rank:** 21733

## Meanings
1. the chemical element with symbol Li and atomic number 3, a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive alkali metal and the lightest metal
2. a lithium salt used medically as a mood stabilizer, especially in the treatment of bipolar disorder

## Examples
- Lithium metal reacts vigorously with water and therefore does not occur uncombined in nature.
- The psychiatrist prescribed lithium as a mood stabilizer and monitored the patient's blood levels.

## Derived Forms
- lithiation
- lithiated
- organolithium

## Related Forms
- alkali metal
- lithium-ion battery
- lithium carbonate
- petalite
- spodumene

## Etymology
Named in 1817 from New Latin lithia ("lithium oxide") + -ium; lithia was formed from Greek lithos ("stone"). Johan August Arfwedson identified the element in the mineral petalite, and the name emphasized its mineral source, unlike sodium and potassium, which had first been obtained from plant ashes.

## Topics
- Science & Research

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