coltan

/ˈkoʊlˌtæn/

//ˈkoʊlˌtæn// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"coltan" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“coltan” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A metallic ore, (Fe,Mn)(Ta,Nb)₂O₆, from which the elements niobium and tantalum are extracted.

Key facts for coltan
PropertyValue
Headwordcoltan
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkoʊlˌtæn/
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “coltan” sits in English frequency

coltan falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

coltan is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈkoʊlˌtæn/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "A metallic ore, (Fe,Mn)(Ta,Nb)₂O₆, from which the elements niobium and tantalum are extracted.".

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for coltan, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: Blend of columbite + tantalite. The correct English form is coltan, spelled C-O-L-T-A-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A metallic ore, (Fe,Mn)(Ta,Nb)₂O₆, from which the elements niobium and tantalum are extracted.

Etymology

Blend of columbite + tantalite.

This word in other languages

coltán(Español)coltan(Français)Coltan(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "coltan"?
"coltan" is spelled C-O-L-T-A-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkoʊlˌtæn/.
What does "coltan" mean?
As a noun, "coltan" means: A metallic ore, (Fe,Mn)(Ta,Nb)₂O₆, from which the elements niobium and tantalum are extracted.
How do you pronounce "coltan"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "coltan" is /ˈkoʊlˌtæn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "coltan"?
Blend of columbite + tantalite. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “coltan”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-L-T-A-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkoʊlˌtæn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list