/ məˈlɪbdənəm; NAmE / noun
[ U ] ( symb Mo ) a chemical element. Molybdenum is a silver-grey metal that breaks easily and is used in some alloy steels.
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WORD ORIGIN
early 19th cent.: modern Latin , earlier molybdena (originally denoting a salt of lead), from Greek molubdaina plummet, from molubdos lead.