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cobalt

Syllabification: (co·balt)
Pronunciation: /ˈkōˌbôlt/
Definition of cobalt

noun

  • the chemical element of atomic number 27, a hard silvery-white magnetic metal. (Symbol: Co)
  • short for cobalt blue. [as modifier]:a cobalt sky

Cobalt is chiefly obtained as a byproduct from nickel and copper ores. It is a transition metal similar in many respects to nickel. Its main use is as a component of magnetic alloys and those designed for use at high temperatures

Derivatives

cobaltic

Pronunciation: /kōˈbôltik/
adjective

cobaltous

Pronunciation: /kōˈbôltəs/
adjective

Origin:

late 17th century: from German Kobalt 'imp, demon' (because the presence of cobalt-bearing ore made it more difficult to extract silver, and miners believed that it was harmful to the silver ore with which it occurred)

cobalt in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of cobalt in the British & World English dictionary
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