constantan

[ kawn-stuhn-tan ]

noun

1. an alloy containing approximately 55 percent copper and approximately 45 percent nickel, used for electrical resistance heating and thermocouples.

constantan

/ ˈkɒnstənˌtæn /

noun

1. an alloy of copper (60 per cent) and nickel (40 per cent). It has a high resistivity that does not vary significantly with temperature and is used in resistors and, with copper, in thermocouples

Word History and Origins

Origin of constantan¹

First recorded in 1900–05; constant + -an

Word History and Origins

Origin of constantan¹

C20: formed from constant