Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A mineral that is a natural alloy of osmium and iridium with small inclusions of platinum, rhodium, and other metals, used in needles and wearing points.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Same as iridosmium.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun mineralogy A hard, corrosion-resistant alloy or osmium and iridium used in pen nibs

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a hard and corrosion resistant mineral that is a natural alloy of osmium and iridium (usually containing small amounts of rhodium and platinum); used in needles and pen nibs etc.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[osm(ium) + iridium.]

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Examples

  • Small-scale mining has taken place in the past and rights exist to operate a small osmiridium mines.

    Tasmanian Wilderness, Australia 2008

  • "So you see, if you check the research which has been performed on Pluto, Gorisa, and Tipendemos over the last eight years, you'll find that any additional modifications to the SCCAM weapons system must take into account the stress limitations of the osmiridium casing itself."

    Orphan Star Foster, Alan Dean, 1946- 1977

  • "So you see, if you check the research which has been performed on Pluto, Gorisa, and Tipendemos over the last eight years, you'll find that any additional modifications to the SCCAM weapons system must take into account the stress limitations of the osmiridium casing itself."

    Orphan Star Foster, Alan Dean, 1946- 1977

  • After figuring out the alloy osmiridium, Tom had distilled it into the jetmarine by a superhigh vacuum so that every exposed surface of the machinery was protected.

    Tom Swift Jr And His Jetmarine Almquist, John 1954

  • As he left he presented me with a hatyk and, rummaging through my saddle bags, I found a single article that might be considered worthy as a gift for a Hutuktu, a small bottle of osmiridium, this rare, natural concomitant of platinum.

    Beasts, Men and Gods Ferdinand Ossendowski 1910

  • The osmiridium will remain as an insoluble residue, which can be separated and weighed.

    A Text-book of Assaying: For the Use of Those Connected with Mines. Cornelius Beringer 1886

  • Gorisa, and Tipendemos over the last eight years, you'll find that any additional modifications to the SCCAM weapons system must take into account the stress limitations of the osmiridium casing itself. "

    Orphan Star Foster, Alan Dean, 1946- 1983

  • Gorisa, and Tipendemos over the last eight years, you'll find that any additional modifications to the SCCAM weapons system must take into account the stress limitations of the osmiridium casing itself. "

    Orphan Star Foster, Alan Dean, 1946- 1977

  • "That osmiridium you sprayed on the pipes did the trick.

    Tom Swift Jr And His Jetmarine Almquist, John 1954

  • Occurs in nature alloyed with osmium as osmiridium or iridosmine, which is "rather abundant in the auriferous beach sands of Northern

    A Text-book of Assaying: For the Use of Those Connected with Mines. Cornelius Beringer 1886

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