al·loy ( l oi ,  -loi)n. 1. A homogeneous mixture or solid solution of two or more metals, the atoms of one replacing or occupying interstitial positions between the atoms of the other: Brass is an alloy of zinc and copper. 2. A mixture; an amalgam: "Television news has . . . always been an alloy of journalism and show business" (Bill Moyers). 3. The relative degree of mixture with a base metal; fineness. 4. Something added that lowers value or purity. tr.v. ( -loi, loi) al·loyed, al·loy·ing, al·loys 1. To combine (metals) to form an alloy. 2. To combine; mix: idealism that was alloyed with political skill. 3. To debase by the addition of an inferior element. [Alteration (influenced by French aloi) of obsolete allay, from Middle English alay, from Old North French allai, from allayer, to alloy, from Latin allig  re, to bind : ad-, ad- + ligre, to bind; see leig- in Indo-European roots.] |
alloy
Noun
a mixture of two or more metals
Verb
to mix metals in order to obtain a substance with a desired property [Latin alligare to bind]
| alloy (loi) A metallic substance made by mixing and fusing two or more metals, or a metal and a nonmetal, to obtain desirable qualities such as hardness, lightness, and strength. Brass, bronze, and steel are all alloys. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  alloy - a mixture containing two or more metallic elements or metallic and nonmetallic elements usually fused together or dissolving into each other when molten; "brass is an alloy of zinc and copper"mixture - (chemistry) a substance consisting of two or more substances mixed together (not in fixed proportions and not with chemical bonding) heavy metal - a metal of relatively high density (specific gravity greater than about 5) or of high relative atomic weight (especially one that is poisonous like mercury or lead) 18-karat gold - an alloy that contains 75 per cent gold 22-karat gold - an alloy that contains 87 per cent gold Alnico - trade name for an alloy used to make high-energy permanent magnets; contains aluminum and iron and nickel plus cobalt or copper or titanium amalgam, dental amalgam - an alloy of mercury with another metal (usually silver) used by dentists to fill cavities in teeth; except for iron and platinum all metals dissolve in mercury and chemists refer to the resulting mercury mixtures as amalgams fusible metal - an alloy with a low melting point and used as solder and in safety plugs and sprinkler fuses electrum - an alloy of gold and silver pewter - any of various alloys of tin with small amounts of other metals (especially lead) pinchbeck - an alloy of copper and zinc that is used in cheap jewelry to imitate gold pot metal - an alloy of copper and lead used especially for making large pots solder - an alloy (usually of lead and tin) used when melted to join two metal surfaces white gold - a pale alloy of gold usually with platinum or nickel or palladium type metal - an alloy of tin and lead and antimony used to make printing type bearing metal, white metal - an alloy (often of lead or tin base) used for bearings babbitt, Babbitt metal - an alloy of tin with some copper and antimony; a lining for bearings that reduces friction Britannia metal - an alloy similar to pewter Carboloy - an alloy based on tungsten with cobalt or nickel as a binder; used in making metal-cutting tools steel - an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range cheoplastic metal - any alloy that fuses at low temperatures and can be used molding artificial teeth copper-base alloy - any alloy whose principal component is copper dental gold - an alloy of gold used in dentistry Duralumin - an aluminum-based alloy Inconel - a nickel-base alloy with chromium and iron; used in gas-turbine blades Invar - an alloy of iron and nickel having a low coefficient of thermal expansion; used in tuning forks and measuring tapes and other instruments nickel alloy, nickel-base alloy - an alloy whose main constituent is nickel German silver, nickel silver - a silver-white alloy containing copper and zinc and nickel pyrophoric alloy - an alloy that emits sparks when struck or scratched with steel; used in lighter flints shot metal - an alloy that is 98% lead and 2% arsenic; used in making small shot primary solid solution, solid solution - a homogeneous solid that can exist over a range of component chemicals; a constituent of alloys that is formed when atoms of an element are incorporated into the crystals of a metal Stellite - a very hard alloy of cobalt and chromium with cobalt as the principal ingredient; used to make cutting tools and for surfaces subject to heavy wear sterling silver - a silver alloy with no more than 7.5% copper tambac, tombac, tombak - an alloy of copper and zinc (and sometimes arsenic) used to imitate gold in cheap jewelry and for gilding Wood's alloy, Wood's metal - a fusible alloy that is half bismuth plus lead, tin, and cadmium; melts at about 160 degrees Fahrenheit |
| 2. | alloy - the state of impairing the quality or reducing the value of something impureness, impurity - the condition of being impure | |
| Verb | 1. | alloy - lower in value by increasing the base-metal content metallurgy - the science and technology of metals devalue - lower the value or quality of; "The tear devalues the painting" |
| 2. | alloy - make an alloy of chemical science, chemistry - the science of matter; the branch of the natural sciences dealing with the composition of substances and their properties and reactions metallurgy - the science and technology of metals |
alloy
Translations
n alloy [ˈӕloi]
a mixture of two or more metals. allooi سَبِيكَة، أشابَه، خَلِيط مِن مَعْدَنَين أو أكثَر сплав slitina legering die Legierung κράμα aleación sulam آلیاژ metalliseos alliage סַגסוֹגֶת मिश्रधातु legura ötvözet campuran logam málmblendi lega 合金 합금 lydinys sakausējums aloi allooi legering stop liga aliaj сплав zliatina zlitina legura legering โลหะผสม alaşım 合金 сплав بھرت hợp kim 合金
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