Britannia metal

or britannia metal


noun

a white alloy of tin, antimony, and copper in varying proportions, sometimes with small amounts of zinc, lead, and bismuth, used for tableware and as an antifriction material.

Origin of Britannia metal

First recorded in 1810–20

Example sentences from the Web for britannia metal

British Dictionary definitions for britannia metal

Britannia metal

noun

an alloy of low melting point consisting of tin with 5–10 per cent antimony, 1–3 per cent copper, and sometimes small quantities of zinc, lead, or bismuth: used for decorative purposes and for bearings