thermite

American  

[thur-mahyt] / ˈθɜr maɪt /

noun

1. 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.

---

Etymology

Origin of thermite

First recorded in 1895–1900; therm- + -ite ¹

Example Sentences

“Chris thought it was just too literal,” says Jackson, who soon discovered a more compelling chain-reaction dramatization courtesy of thermite, a simple compound made from aluminum powder and iron oxide.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 13, 2023

One such thermite reaction is Is the reaction spontaneous at room temperature under standard conditions?

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

Perhaps what we have is a copper oxide/magnesium thermite?

From The Guardian • Apr. 15, 2016

They undressed, set their contaminated clothes afire with a thermite grenade, and left, leaving the shells unsecured.

From New York Times • Oct. 14, 2014

It fell after the man and hit and burst, and it was thermite which surrounded itself with a column of acrid smoke from seared wood blocks.

From Space Platform by Leinster, Murray