Wolfram

/ˈwʊlfrəm/ noun

Definition

The chemical element tungsten, symbol W, known for having the highest melting point of all metals.

Etymology

From German 'wolf rahm' meaning 'wolf foam' or 'wolf soot', named by medieval German miners who found that tin ores containing this mineral produced poor tin yields, as if wolves had devoured the tin.

Kelly Says

Tungsten/wolfram filaments made Edison's light bulbs practical, but the element's German name preserves medieval miners' frustration with an unknown substance that seemed to magically steal their precious tin during smelting.

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