europium
noun
eu·ro·pi·um
yu̇-ˈrō-pē-əm 
: a metallic chemical element of the rare-earth group that is used especially in television screens and fluorescent lamps see Chemical Elements Table
Examples of europium in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The former will create more barium, for example, while the latter creates lots of europium.
—
Jenna Ahart, Quanta Magazine, 2 July 2025
But every early cathode-ray tube color television owed its screen’s red hue to europium, a rare earth element excavated and processed exclusively at the Mountain Pass Mine in San Bernardino County.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 17 June 2025
Back then, of course, uses were limited: apart from europium adding vibrancy to L.A. cop procedurals, cerium was used as a glass polishing agent, while lanthanum was—and still is—crucial for oil cracking, or turning crude into gasoline and other lighter fuels.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 17 June 2025
In the last half of the 20th century, europium, with atomic number 63, came in to wide demand for its role as a color-producing phosphor in video screens, including computer monitors and plasma TVs.
—Stanley Merzman, Discover Magazine, 21 Aug. 2018
Rare earth elements are a set of 17 metallic elements, such as neodymium, europium, and dysprosium.
—Manasee Wagh, Popular Mechanics, 24 Mar. 2023
All the rare earths, europium is perhaps the most visible.
—Hugh Aldersey-Williams, Discover Magazine, 21 Sep. 2011
The 17 rare earth metals, some with exotic names like lanthanum and europium, form unusually strong lightweight magnetic materials.
—Eliza Strickland, Discover Magazine, 15 Oct. 2010
The same goes for the use of europium and terbium in lighting applications.
—John Timmer, Ars Technica, 20 May 2022
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Jenna Ahart, Quanta Magazine, 2 July 2025
But every early cathode-ray tube color television owed its screen’s red hue to europium, a rare earth element excavated and processed exclusively at the Mountain Pass Mine in San Bernardino County.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 17 June 2025
Back then, of course, uses were limited: apart from europium adding vibrancy to L.A. cop procedurals, cerium was used as a glass polishing agent, while lanthanum was—and still is—crucial for oil cracking, or turning crude into gasoline and other lighter fuels.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 17 June 2025
In the last half of the 20th century, europium, with atomic number 63, came in to wide demand for its role as a color-producing phosphor in video screens, including computer monitors and plasma TVs.
—Stanley Merzman, Discover Magazine, 21 Aug. 2018
Rare earth elements are a set of 17 metallic elements, such as neodymium, europium, and dysprosium.
—Manasee Wagh, Popular Mechanics, 24 Mar. 2023
All the rare earths, europium is perhaps the most visible.
—Hugh Aldersey-Williams, Discover Magazine, 21 Sep. 2011
The 17 rare earth metals, some with exotic names like lanthanum and europium, form unusually strong lightweight magnetic materials.
—Eliza Strickland, Discover Magazine, 15 Oct. 2010
The same goes for the use of europium and terbium in lighting applications.
—John Timmer, Ars Technica, 20 May 2022
Cite this Entry
“Europium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/europium. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
europium
noun
eu·ro·pi·um
yu̇-ˈrō-pē-əm
: a soft rare metallic chemical element see element
Medical Definition
europium
noun
eu·ro·pi·um
yu̇-ˈrō-pē-əm
: a bivalent and trivalent metallic element of the rare-earth group found in monazite sand
—symbol Eu
see Chemical Elements Table
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