nickel

[nik-uhl]

noun

1. Chemistry.,  a hard, silvery-white, ductile and malleable metallic element, allied to iron and cobalt, not readily oxidized: used chiefly in alloys, in electroplating, and as a catalyst in organic synthesis. Ni; 58.71; 28; 8.9 at 20°C.

2. a cupronickel coin of the U.S., the 20th part of a dollar, equal to five cents.

3. a nickel coin of Canada, the 20th part of a dollar, equal to five cents.

verb (used with object)

nickeled, nickeling , nickelled, nickelling .

1. to cover or coat with nickel; nickel-plate.

adjective

1. Slang.,  costing or worth five dollars.

   a nickel bag of heroin.

nickel

/ ˈnɪkəl /

noun

1. a malleable ductile silvery-white metallic element that is strong and corrosion-resistant, occurring principally in pentlandite and niccolite: used in alloys, esp in toughening steel, in electroplating, and as a catalyst in organic synthesis. Symbol: Ni; atomic no: 28; atomic wt: 58.6934; valency: 0, 1, 2, or 3; relative density: 8.902; melting pt: 1455°C; boiling pt: 2914°C

2. a US and Canadian coin and monetary unit worth five cents

verb

1. (tr) to plate with nickel

nickel

1. A silvery, hard, ductile metallic element that occurs in ores along with iron or magnesium. It resists oxidation and corrosion and is used to make alloys such as stainless steel. It is also used as a coating for other metals. Atomic number 28; atomic weight 58.69; melting point 1,453°C; boiling point 2,732°C; specific gravity 8.902; valence 0, 1, 2, 3.

2. See Periodic Table

Word History and Origins

Origin of nickel¹

1745–55; < Swedish, abstracted from kopparnickel < German Kupfernickel niccolite, literally, copper demon (so called because though looking like copper it yielded none); Nickel demon, special use of short form of Nikolaus proper name. Old Nick, pumpernickel

Word History and Origins

Origin of nickel¹

C18: shortened form of German Kupfernickel _niccolite , literally: copper demon, so called by miners because it was mistakenly thought to contain copper

Idioms and Phrases

see not worth a dime (plugged nickel).

Example Sentences

Russia has also mentioned rare-earth mining opportunities near the massive nickel mines of Norilsk and in as many as six other Siberian locations that are still unexploited, these people said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

People laid off in the AI “jobpocalypse” may want every nickel they can lay their hands on.

Read more on MarketWatch

Ross reported earnings of $1.58 a share for the quarter ended Nov. 1, including a nickel a share in negative impact from tariff-related costs, it said.

Read more on MarketWatch

Josh Wallace played in Lake’s place as a hybrid nickel corner/linebacker.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Josh Wallace replaced Lake at the nickel spot on Sunday.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

When To Use

What else does nickel mean?

Nickel is a slang term for "five" of anything, especially a small bag of drugs costing five dollars or five-year prison sentence.