zinc
[ zingk ]
/ zɪŋk /
noun
Chemistry.
a ductile, bluish-white metallic element: used in making galvanized iron, brass, and other alloys, and as an element in voltaic cells. Symbol: Zn; atomic weight: 65.37; atomic number: 30; specific gravity: 7.14 at 20°C.
a piece of this metal used as an element in a voltaic cell.
verb (used with object), zincked or zinced [zingkt] /zɪŋkt/, zinck·ing or zinc·ing [zing-king] /ˈzɪŋ kɪŋ/.
to coat or cover with zinc.
Origin of zinc
1635–45; < German
Zink, perhaps derivative of
Zinke(n) prong, tine, from the spikelike form it takes in a furnace
OTHER WORDS FROM zinc
zinck·y, zinc·y, zink·y, adjective zinc·oid, adjectiveWords nearby zinc
Example sentences from the Web for zinc
British Dictionary definitions for zinc
zinc
/ (zɪŋk) /
noun
a brittle bluish-white metallic element that becomes coated with a corrosion-resistant layer in moist air and occurs chiefly in sphalerite and smithsonite. It is a constituent of several alloys, esp brass and nickel-silver, and is used in die-casting, galvanizing metals, and in battery electrodes. Symbol: Zn; atomic no: 30; atomic wt: 65.39; valency: 2; relative density: 7.133; melting pt: 419.58°C; boiling pt: 907°C
informal
corrugated galvanized iron
Derived forms of zinc
zincic, zincous or zincoid, adjective zincky, zincy or zinky, adjectiveWord Origin for zinc
C17: from German
Zink, perhaps from
Zinke prong, from its jagged appearance in the furnace
Medical definitions for zinc
zinc
[ zĭngk ]
n. Symbol Zn
A metallic element that is brittle at room temperature but becomes malleable when heated and is used in various pharmaceuticals, including astringents and antiseptics. Atomic number 30.
Scientific definitions for zinc
zinc
[ zĭngk ]
Zn
A shiny, bluish-white metallic element that is brittle at room temperature but is malleable when heated. It is used in alloys such as brass and bronze, as a coating for iron and steel, and in various household objects. Zinc is essential to human and animal growth. Atomic number 30; atomic weight 65.39; melting point 419.4°C; boiling point 907°C; specific gravity 7.133 (25°C); valence 2. See Periodic Table.