noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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hăf'nēəm
/ˈhæfniəm/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:HH AE1 F N IY0 AH0 M
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A chemical element (symbol Hf) with an atomic number of 72: a lustrous, silvery-grey tetravalent transition metal.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: celtium, keltium
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
a grey tetravalent metallic element that resembles zirconium chemically and is found in zirconium minerals; used in filaments for its ready emission of electrons
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Hf, atomic number 72
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: metallic element, metal
History
Etymology
From Latin Hafnia (“Copenhagen”) + -ium.
Across languages
Translations
71 source translations are retained for this English entry.
