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

“Electric...that’s like electrum. That’s a kind of stone, a jewel, made out of gum from trees. There’s insects in it, sometimes.”

From Literature

Egyptian Pharaohs send expeditions to Punt to recover precious metals, like gold, silver, electrum and rare gemstones.

From Scientific American

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

From Project Gutenberg

In both cases the name is derived from the pale yellow colour of electrum, resembling that of amber.

From Project Gutenberg