amalgam

American  

[uh-mal-guhm] / əˈmæl gəm /

noun

1. an alloy of mercury with another metal or metals.

2. an alloy that consists chiefly of silver mixed with mercury and variable amounts of other metals and is used as a dental filling.

3. a rare mineral, an alloy of silver and mercury, occurring as silver-white crystals or grains.

4. a mixture or combination.

   His character is a strange amalgam of contradictory traits.

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amalgam British  

/ əˈmælɡəm /

noun

1. an alloy of mercury with another metal, esp with silver

   dental amalgam

2. a rare white metallic mineral that consists of silver and mercury and occurs in deposits of silver and cinnabar

3. a blend or combination

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amalgam Scientific  

/ ə-măl′gəm /

1. An alloy of mercury and another metal, especially:

2. An alloy of mercury and silver used in dental fillings.

3. An alloy of silver and tin used in silvering mirrors.

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Etymology

Origin of amalgam

1425–75; late Middle English amalgam ( e ) < Middle French < Medieval Latin < dialectal Arabic al the + malgham < Greek málagma softening agent, equivalent to malak- (stem of malássein to soften) + -ma noun suffix

Explanation

In science, when you mix a metal with mercury to soften it, you create an amalgam. Otherwise, an amalgam is simply a combination of two or more unlike things into one. Use amalgam when the mixture of several things creates something different and larger. If your school puts together a drug prevention task force of police, doctors, teachers, social workers, and students, the task force is an amalgam of local resources. If your band plays a combination of country music and jazz, they play an amalgam of contemporary styles. We can only hope they play it well.

Example Sentences

It is an amalgam of microeconomic irritants that vary by individual, time and place.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 23, 2025

Nations meeting in Geneva agreed "to end the use of dental amalgam by 2034, marking a historic milestone in reducing mercury pollution", the conference announced in its closing statement.

From Barron's • Nov. 7, 2025

Last month, an amalgam of Celtic fans' groups called the Celtic Fan Collective had a meeting with some key people at the club and they asked if Rodgers had the final say on all players.

From BBC • Oct. 28, 2025

As the Michelin page itself says, "Chef Andrew Zimmerman’s menu is a delicious amalgam of American cuisine with hints of Southeast Asian, Korean, and Mediterranean tastes."

From Salon • Aug. 17, 2024

It is precisely this quality that makes facts the raw material of science, for science, too, is a peculiar amalgam of the real and the cultural.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Related Words

• admixture
• alloy
• amalgamation