alloy
[ noun al-oi, uh-loi; verb uh-loi ]
/ noun ˈæl ɔɪ, əˈlɔɪ; verb əˈlɔɪ /
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noun
verb (used with object)
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Origin of alloy
OTHER WORDS FROM alloy
un·al·loyed, adjectiveWords nearby alloy
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for alloy
British Dictionary definitions for alloy
alloy
noun (ˈælɔɪ, əˈlɔɪ)
a metallic material, such as steel, brass, or bronze, consisting of a mixture of two or more metals or of metallic elements with nonmetallic elements. Alloys often have physical properties markedly different from those of the pure metals
something that impairs the quality or reduces the value of the thing to which it is added
verb (əˈlɔɪ) (tr)
to add (one metal or element to another metal or element) to obtain a substance with a desired property
to debase (a pure substance) by mixing with an inferior element
to diminish or impair
Word Origin for alloy
C16: from Old French aloi a mixture, from aloier to combine, from Latin alligāre, from ligāre to bind
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Medical definitions for alloy
alloy
[ ăl′oi′, ə-loi′ ]
n.
A homogeneous mixture or solid solution of two or more metals, the atoms of one replacing or occupying interstitial positions between the atoms of the other.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Scientific definitions for alloy
alloy
[ ăl′oi′ ]
A metallic substance made by mixing and fusing two or more metals, or a metal and a nonmetal, to obtain desirable qualities such as hardness, lightness, and strength. Brass, bronze, and steel are all alloys.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Cultural definitions for alloy
alloy
[ (al-oy, uh-loy) ]
A material made of two or more metals, or of a metal and another material. For example, brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. Alloys often have unexpected characteristics. In the examples given above, brass is stronger than either copper or zinc, and steel is stronger than either iron or carbon.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.