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tombac
[ tom-bak ]
/ ˈtɒm bæk /
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noun
an alloy, used to imitate gold, containing from 70 to 92 percent copper with zinc and sometimes tin and other materials forming the remainder.
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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
Also tambac.
Origin of tombac
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Dutch tombak, from Portuguese tambaca, from Malay tembaga “copper,” from Indo-Aryan (compare Hindi tambiyā “copper or brass vessel,” Sanskrit tāmraka “copper”
Words nearby tombac
tomato aspic, tomato fruitworm, tomato hornworm, tomb, Tomba, tombac, Tombalbaye, Tombaugh, tombé, Tombigbee, tombola
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use tombac in a sentence
When a small percentage of zinc is present, the colour of brass is reddish, as in tombac or red brass, which contains about 10%.
British Dictionary definitions for tombac
tombac
tambac (ˈtæmbæk)
/ (ˈtɒmbæk) /
noun
any of various brittle alloys containing copper and zinc and sometimes tin and arsenic: used for making cheap jewellery, etc
Word Origin for tombac
C17: from French, from Dutch tombak, from Malay tambâga copper, apparently from Sanskrit tāmraka, from tāmra dark coppery red
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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