amalgam
[ uh-mal-guh m ]
/ əˈmæl gəm /
noun
an alloy of mercury with another metal or metals.
an alloy that consists chiefly of silver mixed with mercury and variable amounts of other metals and is used as a dental filling.
a rare mineral, an alloy of silver and mercury, occurring as silver-white crystals or grains.
a mixture or combination: His character is a strange amalgam of contradictory traits.
Origin of amalgam
1425–75; late Middle English
amalgam(e) < Middle French < Medieval Latin < dialectal Arabic
al the +
malgham < Greek
málagma softening agent, equivalent to
malak- (stem of
malássein to soften) +
-ma noun suffix
Words nearby amalgam
amal.,
amalaka,
amalek,
amalekite,
amalfi,
amalgam,
amalgam tattoo,
amalgamate,
amalgamation,
amalia,
amalthaea
Example sentences from the Web for amalgam
British Dictionary definitions for amalgam
amalgam
/ (əˈmælɡəm) /
noun
an alloy of mercury with another metal, esp with silver
dental amalgam
a rare white metallic mineral that consists of silver and mercury and occurs in deposits of silver and cinnabar
a blend or combination
Word Origin for amalgam
C15: from Medieval Latin
amalgama, of obscure origin
Medical definitions for amalgam
amalgam
[ ə-măl′gəm ]
n.
Any of various alloys of mercury with other metals, as with tin or silver, used for filling teeth.
Scientific definitions for amalgam
amalgam
[ ə-măl′gəm ]
An alloy of mercury and another metal, especially:
An alloy of mercury and silver used in dental fillings.
An alloy of silver and tin used in silvering mirrors.