alloy
pronunciation
How to pronounce alloy in British English:
UK [ˈælɔɪ , əˈlɔɪ]
How to pronounce alloy in American English:
US [ˈælɔɪ , əˈlɔɪ]
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- Noun:
- a mixture containing two or more metallic elements or metallic and nonmetallic elements usually fused together or dissolving into each other when molten
- the state of impairing the quality or reducing the value of something
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- Verb:
- lower in value by increasing the base-metal content
- make an alloy of
Word Origin
- alloy
- alloy: [16] The notion of ‘mixing’ in alloy originated in the idea of ‘binding’ in Latin ligāre ‘tie’ (source of English ligament, ligature, and lien – via Old French loien from Latin ligāmen ‘bond’). Addition of the prefix ad- gave alligāre ‘bind one thing to another’, hence ‘combine’. This passed into Old French as aleier, where it eventually became aloier – hence English alloy.=> ally, lien, ligament, ligature
- alloy (n.)
- early 14c. "relative freedom of a noble metal from alloy or other impurities," from Anglo-French alai, Old French aloi, from aloiier (see alloy (v.)). Meaning " base metal alloyed with a noble metal" is from c. 1400. Modern spelling from late 17c.
- alloy (v.)
- c. 1400, "mix with a baser metal," from Old French aloiier "assemble, join," from Latin alligare "bind to, tie to," compound of ad- "to" (see ad-) + ligare "to bind" (see ligament); hence "bind one thing to another." Related: Alloyed; alloying.
Example
- 1. The metal in question is an alloy of iron and nickel .
- 2. Specifically , the alloy goes from being non-magnetic to highly magnetized .
- 3. A paper on the alloy was published in the journal advanced energy materials .
- 4. All models have alloy wheels , air conditioning and cruise control .
- 5. Eatr is simply a wolf in sheep 's titanium alloy armour .