First Known Use: 1604
Dictionary
1alloy
noun al·loy \ˈa-ˌlȯi also ə-ˈlȯi\
: a metal made by melting and mixing two or more metals or a metal and another material together
Full Definition of ALLOY
1
: the degree of mixture with base metals : fineness
2
: a substance composed of two or more metals or of a metal and a nonmetal intimately united usually by being fused together and dissolving in each other when molten; also : the state of union of the components
3
a : an admixture that lessens value b : an impairing alien element
4
: a compound, mixture, or union of different things <an ethnic alloy of many peoples>
5
archaic : a metal mixed with a more valuable metal to give durability or some other desired quality
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Origin of ALLOY
French aloi, from Old French alei, from aleir to combine, from Latin alligare to bind — more at ally
Related to ALLOY
- Synonyms
- admixture, blend, amalgam, amalgamation, cocktail, combination, composite, compound, conflation, emulsion, fusion, intermixture, meld, mix, mixture, synthesis
Other Metals and Metallurgy Terms
Rhymes with ALLOY
ahoy, annoy, bad boy, ball boy, batboy, B-boy, beachboy, bellboy, bell buoy, best boy, big boy, bok choy, borzoi, boy toy, busboy, callboy, carboy, charpoy, choirboy, convoy, cowboy, decoy, deploy, destroy, doughboy, employ, enjoy, envoy, flyboy, footboy, Hanoi, hautbois, highboy, homeboy, houseboy, killjoy, Khoikhoi, life buoy, linkboy, lowboy, McCoy, newsboy, old boy, page boy, playboy, plowboy, po'boy, postboy, potboy, Quemoy, Rob Roy, Saint Croix, Savoy, schoolboy, sepoy, stock boy, tallboy, tatsoi, teapoy, Tolstoy, tomboy, travois, viceroy
2alloy
verb al·loy \ə-ˈlȯi also ˈa-ˌlȯi\
Definition of ALLOY
transitive verb
2
: to reduce the purity of by mixing with a less valuable metal
3
: to mix so as to form an alloy
intransitive verb
: to lend itself to being alloyed <iron alloys well>
First Known Use of ALLOY
1661
ALLOYED Defined for Kids
alloy
noun al·loy \ˈa-ˌlȯi, ə-ˈlȯi\
Definition of ALLOY for Kids
: a substance made of two or more metals melted together <Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc.>
Medical Dictionary
alloy
noun al·loy \ˈal-ˌȯi, ə-ˈlȯi\
Medical Definition of ALLOY
1
: the degree of mixture with base metals
2
: a substance composed of two or more metals or of a metal and a nonmetal intimately united usually by being fused together and dissolving in each other when molten; also : the state of union of the components
—al·loy \ə-ˈlȯi, ˈal-ˌȯi\ transitive verb
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