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.

Beer- and soda-can makers face similar tariff pressure on imported aluminum sheet.

From The Wall Street Journal

MIT engineers have created a new aluminum alloy that can be 3D printed, tolerates extreme heat, and reaches strength levels far beyond conventional aluminum.

From Science Daily

Instead, what’s jacking up car prices are factors like tariffs on steel and aluminum, higher commodity prices and tech additions that consumers demand, like screens and sensors, he said.

From MarketWatch

Swedish soldiers participating in the exercise were handed $20,000 night-vision optics that broke because the aluminum in the goggles couldn’t handle the minus 40 degree Fahrenheit conditions.

From The Wall Street Journal

Customs and Border Protection wanted even more information such as the country of origin of the condenser’s steel and aluminum, which Gallo and the supplier said they didn’t know they had to provide.

From The Wall Street Journal

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