alloy
/- The aluminum alloy combines the properties of machinability, corrosion resistance, strength and brazeability.
- Nickel-base alloys offer excellent corrosion resistance to a wide range of corrosive media.
- Produced from a combination of polymers and metallic alloys, it is highly corrosion resistant and almost maintenance free.
Synonyms
- Boldly, I walked up to the mixed alloy gate; its rough battered surface longed for happier days.
- The precious metals could be extracted by stirring the molten alloy with molten lead: gold and silver dissolved in the lead while copper did not.
/ /ˈalɔɪ / [with object]- Gold is also alloyed with other metals to create different colors of gold.
- It is such a soft and pliable metal that it needs to be alloyed with other metals, into brass or bronze, before it can be used for a structural purpose.
- Palladium is generally alloyed with other precious metals, such as gold and silver, as well as with copper.
Synonyms
Origin
Late 16th century: from Old French aloi (noun) and French aloyer (verb), both from Old French aloier, aleier 'combine', from Latin alligare 'bind'. In early use the term denoted the comparative purity of gold or silver; the sense 'mixture of metals' arose in the mid 17th century.
ally from Middle English:
Latin alligere ‘combine together’, formed from ad- ‘to(gether)’ and ligare ‘bind’ developed into two closely related words in Old French: alier which became ally in English, and aloyer which became alloy (late 16th century). Ligare is also hidden in furl (late 16th century) which comes from French ferler, from ferm ‘firm’ and lier ‘bind’; league (Late Middle English) a binding together; and oblige (Middle English) originally meaning ‘bind by oath’.