Synonyms

aluminum

American

[uh-loo-muh-nuhm] / əˈlu mə nəm /

British, aluminium

noun

Chemistry. a silver-white metallic element, light in weight, ductile, malleable, and not readily corroded or tarnished, occurring combined in nature in igneous rock, shale, clay, and most soil: used in alloys and for lightweight utensils, castings, airplane parts, etc. alum.; Al; 26.98; 13; 2.70 at 20°C.

adjective

of, relating to, or containing aluminum.

an aluminum frying pan.

aluminum Scientific

/ ə-lo̅o̅′mə-nəm /

Symbol Al A lightweight, silvery-white metallic element that is ductile, is found chiefly in bauxite, and is a good conductor of electricity. It is the most abundant metal in the Earth's crust and is used to make a wide variety of products from soda cans to airplane components. Atomic number 13; atomic weight 26.9815; melting point 660.3°C (1,220.5°F); boiling point 2,519°C; specific gravity 2.70; valence 3.
See Periodic Table

Other Word Forms

aluminic adjective

Etymology

Origin of aluminum

1812; from New Latin; aluminum was an alteration, by Humphry Davy, of alumium, which was first proposed; the chiefly British variant aluminium was formed after other metals in -ium. See alumina, -ium

Compare meaning

How does aluminum compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

alumina vs. aluminum

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Under the new plan being considered, steel and aluminum products would be sorted into groups with different rates based on the metal content in the product, some of the people said.

From The Wall Street Journal

But for steel and aluminum companies, the trade is working in the opposite direction.

From MarketWatch

“I always dreamt of doing this. Other kids played with Play-Doh. I made stuff with anything I could get my hands on like clay, aluminum foil and discarded phone wire.”

From Los Angeles Times

The third gen is about 170 pounds lighter than before, by way of more high-strength steel and lightweight aluminum.

From The Wall Street Journal

Energy-intensive sectors such as chemicals, fertilizers and aluminum cut production or relocated outside Europe.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023