electrum

American  

[ih-lek-truhm] / ɪˈlɛk trəm /

noun

1. an amber-colored alloy of gold and silver used in ancient times.

2. an alloy composed of about 50 percent copper, 30 percent nickel, and 20 percent zinc.

3. German silver; nickel silver.

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electrum British  

/ ɪˈlɛktrəm /

noun

1. an alloy of gold (55–88 per cent) and silver used for jewellery and ornaments

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Etymology

Origin of electrum

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin < Greek ḗlektron amber, alloy of gold and silver

Example Sentences

This song has an axis of electrum, chile.

From New York Times • Sep. 7, 2022

Responsible banking opinion everywhere last week treated electrum talk as September madness.

From Time Magazine Archive

Before Croesus the Greeks used coins of a gold and silver alloy called electrum.

From Time Magazine Archive

That when they have melted the gold and purified it by means of a kind of aluminous earth, the residue left is electrum.

From De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556 by Agricola, Georgius

Helen, he continues, consecrated a cup of electrum at Lindos, 'mamm� su� mensura,' and adds, 'electri natura ad lucernarum lumina clarius argento splendere.'

From The Life and Writings of Henry Fuseli, Volume I (of 3) by Knowles, John