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copper

1
[ kop-er ]
/ ˈkɒp ər /
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See synonyms for: copper / coppers on Thesaurus.com

noun
adjective
made of copper: copper kettles.
reddish-brown; coppery: The copper sun sank into the sea.
verb (used with object)
to cover, coat, or sheathe with copper.
Informal. hedge (def. 6).
QUIZ
THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
Question 1 of 7
In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

Origin of copper

1
First recorded before 1000; Middle English coper, copper, Old English coper, copor (cognate with Old Norse koparr, German Kupfer ), from Late Latin cuprum, for Latin (aes ) Cyprium “(metal) from Cyprus”

Other definitions for copper (2 of 2)

copper2
[ kop-er ]
/ ˈkɒp ər /

noun Slang.

Origin of copper

2
First recorded in 1830–40; perhaps cop2 + -er1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use copper in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for copper (1 of 2)

copper1
/ (ˈkɒpə) /

noun
  1. a malleable ductile reddish metallic element occurring as the free metal, copper glance, and copper pyrites: used as an electrical and thermal conductor and in such alloys as brass and bronze. Symbol: Cu; atomic no: 29; atomic wt: 63.546; valency: 1 or 2; relative density: 8.96; melting pt: 1084.87±+0.2°C; boiling pt: 2563°CRelated adjectives: cupric, cuprous Related prefix: cupro-
  2. (as modifier)a copper coin
  1. the reddish-brown colour of copper
  2. (as adjective)copper hair
informal any copper or bronze coin
mainly British a large vessel, formerly of copper, used for boiling or washing
any of various small widely distributed butterflies of the genera Lycaena, Heodes, etc, typically having reddish-brown wings: family Lycaenidae
verb
(tr) to coat or cover with copper

Derived forms of copper

coppery, adjective

Word Origin for copper

Old English coper, from Latin Cyprium aes Cyprian metal, from Greek Kupris Cyprus

British Dictionary definitions for copper (2 of 2)

copper2
/ (ˈkɒpə) /

noun
a slang word for policeman Often shortened to: cop

Word Origin for copper

C19: from cop 1 (vb) + -er 1
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

Scientific definitions for copper

copper
[ kŏpər ]

Cu
A reddish-brown, ductile, malleable metallic element that is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity. It is widely used for electrical wires, water pipes, and rust-resistant parts, either in its pure form or in alloys such as brass and bronze. Atomic number 29; atomic weight 63.546; melting point 1,083°C; boiling point 2,595°C; specific gravity 8.96; valence 1, 2. See Periodic Table. See Note at element.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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