rare earth
noun
1
: any of a group of similar oxides of metals or a mixture of such oxides occurring together in widely distributed but relatively scarce minerals
Examples of rare earth in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Greenland is rich in rare earth minerals and uranium, and may prove strategic for global shipping routes, as Arctic ice melts with climate change.
—
Lauren Frayer, NPR, 28 Jan. 2025
Greenland was also home to an abundant source of cryolite, a rare earth mineral important for the production of military aircraft in Canada and the U.S.
—James Patton Rogers & Caroline Kennedy Pipe / Made By History , TIME, 23 Jan. 2025
Those materials are used in advanced weaponry, electronics, and energy and transportation technologies, including electric vehicles — and are likely the reason Trump has shown interest in Greenland, with its abundance of rare earth minerals.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 21 Jan. 2025
China’s dominance extends beyond the rare earths to a broader array of critical materials.
—Jeffrey Weng, National Review, 20 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rare earth 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Lauren Frayer, NPR, 28 Jan. 2025
Greenland was also home to an abundant source of cryolite, a rare earth mineral important for the production of military aircraft in Canada and the U.S.
—James Patton Rogers & Caroline Kennedy Pipe / Made By History , TIME, 23 Jan. 2025
Those materials are used in advanced weaponry, electronics, and energy and transportation technologies, including electric vehicles — and are likely the reason Trump has shown interest in Greenland, with its abundance of rare earth minerals.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 21 Jan. 2025
China’s dominance extends beyond the rare earths to a broader array of critical materials.
—Jeffrey Weng, National Review, 20 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rare earth
Dictionary Entries Near rare earth
Cite this Entry
“Rare earth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rare%20earth. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
rare earth
noun
1
: any of a group of similar oxides of metals or a mixture of such oxides occurring together in widely distributed but relatively scarce minerals
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share