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MOLYBDENUM
Definition of MOLYBDENUM
noun
A chemical element (symbol Mo) with an atomic number of 42: a silvery metal, not found as a free element, used in steel alloys.
Wiktionary · CC BY-SA
Where it comes from
From New Latin molybdaenum, from molybdaena (“any of various substances resembling lead”), from Ancient Greek μολύβδαινα (molúbdaina, “a plummet, piece of lead”), from μόλυβδος (mólubdos, “lead; graphite”), from an Anatolian word cognate with Lydian 𐤪𐤠𐤭𐤦𐤥𐤣𐤠 (mariwda, “dark”), from Proto-Indo-European *morkʷ-iyo-, from a root *morkʷ- (“dark”), cognate with English murk. Cf. Latin plumbum nigrum 'lead'. The suffix is + -um (“a chemical element”). Attested since the last quarter of 18th century.
Etymology via Wiktionary (CC BY-SA).
Word DNA
Line of descent
3 recorded generations before English.
Deepest traced root
2nd
of 59 source languages in OUTLIER
14.2%
of traced words share this origin (12,230)
How it is built
Same root, MOLYBDENUM · 5 relatives in the game
Every Proto-Indo-European word → · The Word DNA of OUTLIER →
OUTLIER scores every word on how unusual it is, and that number is not published. Working it out at the board is the game.
MOLYBDENUM in OUTLIER
Players have found it on 2 boards so far. 19 players have found it across Outlier's history.
It first turned up on Day 166, 2 November 2026. The most recent board was Day 172, 8 November 2026. Nobody has seen it on a board for 4 days.
First ever to find it
on Day 166, 2 November 2026 - before anyone else in Outlier's history. See the Pioneers
Built from these letters
MOLYBDENUM starts with M and ends with M. Sorted, its letters read BDELMMNOUY - the shape to hunt for when the grid is scrambled. M appears more than once.
Words that start MOLYBD
Its neighbours in the OUTLIER dictionary - shortest first.
Could you have found MOLYBDENUM?
OUTLIER is a daily word game. One grid, the same grid for everybody, and the words nobody else spots are the ones that pay. This word was on Day 166 - and most players walked straight past it.
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