unobtainium
Fictional miracle substance
Unobtainium is a joking placeholder term for any material that would be perfect for an engineering application but doesn't exist or can't be acquired.
Engineers use it when specs demand something impossibly light, strong, heat-resistant, or cheap: We'd need the frame made of unobtainium to hit that weight target.
The word has spread from engineering humor into general use for anything desirable but unavailable.
Personal weakness or vulnerability
- adamantiumFictional unbreakable metal
- dilithiumMolecule with two lithiums
- mithrilFictional ultralight strong metal
- melangeAssorted mixture of elements
Cannot be accessed
- impossibleIncapable of occurring
- elusiveHard to find
- unachievableCannot be accomplished
- inaccessibleCannot be reached
unattainable · out-of-reach · insurmountable · impractical · unfeasible · wishful · quixotic · vaporware
Seldom found or seen
- preciousHighly esteemed, greatly valued
- exoticStrikingly unusual, foreign-seeming
- irreplaceableHaving no adequate substitute
- limitedRestricted in extent
finite · depleted · strategic · hoarded · rationed · stockpiled · shortage · supply-chain
Absence of any fault
- quintessencePurest embodiment of something
- epitomePerfect representative of type
- pinnacleUtmost summit or spire
- nirvanaRelease from cyclical existence
utopia · gold-standard · panacea · apotheosis
Physical matter; pertinent
- alloyMetallic combination
- compositeMade of distinct parts
- superconductorMaterial with zero electrical resistance
- metamaterialStructured material with impossible properties
room-temperature · frictionless · weightless · indestructible · specification · tolerance · aerospace
kryptonite
Personal weakness or vulnerability
- adamantiumFictional unbreakable metal
- dilithiumMolecule with two lithiums
- mithrilFictional ultralight strong metal
unreachable
Cannot be accessed
- impossibleIncapable of occurring
- elusiveHard to find
- unachievableCannot be accomplished
inaccessible · unattainable · out-of-reach · insurmountable · impractical · unfeasible · wishful · quixotic · vaporware · moonshot
rare
Seldom found or seen
- preciousHighly esteemed, greatly valued
- exoticStrikingly unusual, foreign-seeming
- irreplaceableHaving no adequate substitute
limited · finite · depleted · strategic · hoarded · rationed · stockpiled · shortage · supply-chain
perfection
Absence of any fault
- quintessencePurest embodiment of something
- epitomePerfect representative of type
- pinnacleUtmost summit or spire
nirvana · utopia · gold-standard · panacea · apotheosis
material
Physical matter; pertinent
- alloyMetallic combination
- compositeMade of distinct parts
- superconductorMaterial with zero electrical resistance
metamaterial · room-temperature · frictionless · weightless · indestructible · specification · tolerance · aerospace
- Fictional Materialsadamantine, mithril, dilithium, kryptonite, vibranium
- macguffinsMaltese falcon, holy grail, briefcase, Rosebud, tesseract
- exotic materialsadamantium, vibranium, mithril, kryptonite, dilithium
- Fictional Unitssimoleon, munny, credits, credit, gold piece
- Sci-Fi/Fantasywand, spell, potion, rune, incantation
unobtainiumcommodity
Fungible traded good
surplus · off-the-shelf · common stock · staple · dime-a-dozen
unobtainiumtried-and-true
Proven reliable over time
workaround · good enough · standard solution · bog-standard · kludge