a soft silvery element of the alkali metal series: the lightest known metal, used as an alloy hardener, as a reducing agent, and in batteries. Symbol: Li; atomic no: 3; atomic wt: 6.941; valency: 1; relative density: 0.534; melting pt: 180.6°C; boiling pt: 1342°C
Word origin
C19: New Latin, from litho- + -ium
lithium in American English
(ˈlɪθiəm)
noun
1.
a soft, silver-white, metallic chemical element, one of the alkali metals and the lightest known metal: used in thermonuclear explosives, in metallurgy, etc.: symbol, Li; at. no., 3
2. Informal
any of various antidepressants containing lithium, esp. lithium carbonate
Word origin
ModL: name coined (1818) by Berzelius for element discovered (1817) by his student A. Arfwedson (1792-1841), Swed chemist< lithia + -ium
Japanese companies are responsible for printed circuit boards and the lithium ion battery.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
It is powered by a lithium ion battery that lasts for up to an hour.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The lithium ion battery is made up of 48 modules.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Its lithium ion batteries were chosen for the electrical power systems for the Dreamliner.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Silicon can suck in more lithium ions than carbon, and as a result push out more electrons.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The electric motor can also be used for recharging the vehicle's lightweight lithium ion battery when you are braking.
The Sun (2008)
He said that his staff were still struggling to identify the precise cause, given that aircraft do not generally use lithium ion batteries.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Since the commercialisation of lithium ion batteries in the early 1990s, production and use of the technology has soared.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Reports suggested that the relatively nascent technology of lithium ion batteries - which previously have caused fires in laptops and electric vehicles - may be at fault.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Like many of the new model city cars, its performance comes from lithium ion batteries, the sort of lightweight source that powers a laptop computer.