amalgam
[ uh-mal-guhm ]
/ əˈmæl gəm /
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noun
an alloy of mercury with another metal or metals.
an alloy that consists chiefly of silver mixed with mercury and variable amounts of other metals and is used as a dental filling.
a rare mineral, an alloy of silver and mercury, occurring as silver-white crystals or grains.
a mixture or combination: His character is a strange amalgam of contradictory traits.
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QUIZ YOURSELF ON PARENTHESES AND BRACKETS APLENTY!
Set some time apart to test your bracket symbol knowledge, and see if you can keep your parentheses, squares, curlies, and angles all straight!
Question 1 of 7
Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?
First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.
First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.
First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT 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
Words nearby amalgam
amal., amalaka, Amalek, Amalekite, Amalfi, amalgam, amalgamate, amalgamation, amalgam tattoo, Amalia, Amalthaea
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for amalgam
British Dictionary definitions for amalgam
amalgam
/ (əˈmælɡəm) /
noun
an alloy of mercury with another metal, esp with silverdental amalgam
a rare white metallic mineral that consists of silver and mercury and occurs in deposits of silver and cinnabar
a blend or combination
Word Origin for amalgam
C15: from Medieval Latin amalgama, of obscure origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Medical definitions for amalgam
amalgam
[ ə-măl′gəm ]
n.
Any of various alloys of mercury with other metals, as with tin or silver, used for filling teeth.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Scientific definitions for amalgam
amalgam
[ ə-măl′gəm ]
An alloy of mercury and another metal, especially:
An alloy of mercury and silver used in dental fillings.
An alloy of silver and tin used in silvering mirrors.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.