boron

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: bo=ron

CIDE DICTIONARY

boron, n. [See Borax.].

 A nonmetallic element occurring abundantly in borax. It is reduced with difficulty to the free state, when it can be obtained in several different forms; viz., as a substance of a deep olive color, in a semimetallic form, and in colorless quadratic crystals similar to the diamond in hardness and other properties. It occurs in nature also in boracite, datolite, tourmaline, and some other minerals. Atomic number 5. Atomic weight 10.81. Symbol B.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

boron, n. Chem. a non-metallic yellow crystalline or brown amorphous element extracted from borax and boracic acid and mainly used for hardening steel.

Usage

Symb.: B.

Etymology

BORAX + - on f. carbon (which it resembles in some respects)