thermite

[ thur-mahyt ]

/ ˈθɜr maɪt /

noun

a mixture of finely-divided metallic aluminum and ferric oxide that when ignited produces extremely high temperatures as the result of the union of the aluminum with the oxygen of the oxide: used in welding, incendiary bombs, etc.

Nearby words

thermionic tube, thermionic valve, thermionics, thermistor, thermit, thermite, thermite process, thermo-, thermoacidophile, thermoacoustic, thermoammeter

Origin of thermite

First recorded in 1895–1900; therm- + -ite¹

Examples from the Web for thermite

But the thermite had been burning steadily, biting through the tough skin of the metal moon.
The Metal Moon|Everett C. Smith
The thermite was piled generously in a ridge all the way around.
The Metal Moon|Everett C. Smith
And a wonderful thing to see, even in those wonderful nights, is our thermite bursting over the heads of the Germans.
Tales of War|Lord Dunsany
And let me tell you—you are not the only man in New York who knows the secret of thermite.
The Silent Bullet|Arthur B. Reeve

He leveled his pistol at the thermite ridge where it was nearest to him.
The Metal Moon|Everett C. Smith