noun a hypothetical or fictional material that is impossible to obtain or doesn't exist in reality
Used to describe a hypothetical material with ideal properties that is impossible to obtain in reality.
Refers to a material that is highly desirable but currently unavailable or too expensive to produce.
Used colloquially to refer to a high-performance material used in aircraft construction.
Used metaphorically to describe a resource that is extremely rare or valuable.
A fictional material often used in sci-fi stories as a plot device or MacGuffin.
In the field of science fiction writing, unobtainium is often used as a fictional material with unique properties that are essential to the plot.
In engineering, unobtainium is sometimes used as a humorous term to describe a material that is theoretically perfect for a particular application but does not exist or is extremely difficult to obtain.
Materials scientists may use unobtainium as a hypothetical material to explore the limits of known materials and properties.
Geologists may use unobtainium as a term to describe a mineral or resource that is highly valuable but extremely rare or difficult to access.