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

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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.

Metal-intensive industrial equipment and electrical grid equipment will pay a 15% rate through 2027, and products made abroad but “entirely with American steel, aluminum, and copper” will be subject to 10% tariffs.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

About one-fifth of the imported aluminum in the U.S. comes from the Gulf countries.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

Not only has the war caused global prices to increase, but it has cut off U.S. manufacturers’ access to aluminum sources in the UAE and Bahrain.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

Bud Reitnouer has spent 43 years building a business out of aluminum.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

At Mr. Jacquel’s direction, Shadow carried the folded aluminum gurney up the narrow stairs to her bedroom and unfolded it next to her bed.

From "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman

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