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.

Their approach focuses on modifying the inside surface of aluminum tubes by etching it to create microscopic and nanoscale pits.

From Science Daily

Trading on the LME, which sets benchmark prices for a range of commodities including copper and aluminum, was offline for roughly one hour.

From The Wall Street Journal

“There is no way the U.S. can remain a leader in the automotive sector without Canadian aluminum and Canadian parts,” says Marroquín Bitar.

From Barron's

Canada ranks as one of the world’s major producers of primary aluminum, although its refineries and smelters rely on imports of what is known as smelter-grade alumina.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Bank of Canada estimates the average tariff rate on Canadian exports is 5.8%, even though products from key sectors such as steel, aluminum, motor vehicles and forest products face duties of up to 50%.

From The Wall Street Journal

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