noun

tennessine

TEN-uh-seen

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Tennessine (noun) means the chemical element with atomic number 117, a halogen. Example: “Tennessine is one of the heaviest elements ever synthesised.”

noun

technical The chemical element with atomic number 117, a halogen.

"Tennessine is one of the heaviest elements ever synthesised."

"Scientists produced only a handful of tennessine atoms in the laboratory."

"Tennessine sits below astatine in the halogen group of the periodic table."

How to use tennessine

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA man-made chemical element named after Tennessee.

When to use it

Tennessine is a specialist term found almost exclusively in chemistry and physics contexts.

Memory tip

Its symbol is Ts, which is useful to remember when reading the periodic table.

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Common pairings

synthesise tennessine tennessine atom discovery of tennessine tennessine isotope

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

_____ is one of the heaviest elements ever synthesised.

Etymology

The name honours Tennessee, the region where the element was discovered, and was proposed in June 2016 by the IUPAC following recommendations from research institutions including Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Vanderbilt University. It ends in -ine rather than -ium because it belongs to the halogen family, like fluorine and chlorine.

Origin: English

Synonyms

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Rhymes for tennessine

nine mine wine line sine ovine amine thine shine Rhine Maine seine

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Frequently asked questions

What is tennessine?

It is a synthetic chemical element with atomic number 117, classified as a halogen.

Why is tennessine named after Tennessee?

It was named to honour the Tennessee region, home to research institutions involved in its discovery, including Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Vanderbilt University.

What group of elements does tennessine belong to?

It belongs to the halogens, the same family as fluorine, chlorine and astatine.

What is the meaning of tennessine?

"tennessine" (noun) means the chemical element with atomic number 117, a halogen.