zinc
Americannoun
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zincs
plural
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Chemistry. a ductile, bluish-white metallic element: used in making galvanized iron, brass, and other alloys, and as an element in voltaic cells. Zn; 65.37; 30; 7.14 at 20°C.
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a piece of this metal used as an element in a voltaic cell.
verb (used with object)
noun
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a brittle bluish-white metallic element that becomes coated with a corrosion-resistant layer in moist air and occurs chiefly in sphalerite and smithsonite. It is a constituent of several alloys, esp brass and nickel-silver, and is used in die-casting, galvanizing metals, and in battery electrodes. Symbol: Zn; atomic no: 30; atomic wt: 65.39; valency: 2; relative density: 7.133; melting pt: 419.58°C; boiling pt: 907°C
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informal corrugated galvanized iron
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A shiny, bluish-white metallic element that is brittle at room temperature but is malleable when heated. It is used in alloys such as brass and bronze, as a coating for iron and steel, and in various household objects. Zinc is essential to human and animal growth. Atomic number 30; atomic weight 65.39; melting point 419.4°C; boiling point 907°C; specific gravity 7.133 (25°C); valence 2.
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See Periodic Table
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Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of zinc
1635–45; < German Zink, perhaps derivative of Zinke ( n ) prong, tine, from the spikelike form it takes in a furnace
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Explanation
Zinc is a type of metal that's used to make brass. Zinc is also present in some of the food we eat, and it's important for helping our bodies fight off bad bacteria and viruses. In its basic form, zinc is a brittle, bluish-white metal. Along with copper, it's used to make the brass for light fixtures, doorknobs, and tools, among many other things. Pennies contain zinc too — since 1982, they contain 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper. There's also zinc in our bodies, and in food including shellfish, meat, and seeds. The word zinc is believed to come from the German Zinke, "point," in reference to the spiked shape of a zinc crystal.
Vocabulary lists containing zinc
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
He explains that we need micronutrients like zinc, calcium and magnesium, which are found in whole foods.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
Amid the 2026 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, videos of a doctor recommending Vitamin D3 and zinc spread from accounts selling supplements, despite these being unable to treat the disease.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
The same bill authorizes the Mint to make the nickel out of cheaper stuff, an inner layer of zinc wrapped in nickel, subject to testing that it actually lowers the cost.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
She wrote in her report that “heavy metals, notably lead, zinc, copper, chromium, arsenic, and antimony, were detected above laboratory reporting limits.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
Away from the house, near Doña Ana’s, the latrine with palm frond walls under a zinc roof was hidden from the road by hibiscus bushes and an avocado tree.
From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago
"Parisian zincs are the ideal theater of the comedy of man," observes the weekly L'Express.
From Time Magazine Archive
Even the best zincs will not provide full protection if they're not installed correctly and replaced in a timely fashion.
From Time Magazine Archive
Another method is to dip the zincs in dilute sulphuric acid and then pour on a little mercury, but these methods, except in the case of the Fuller battery, are wasteful of mercury.
Always take the zincs out of the solution when not in use and the batteries will last longer.
From The Boy Mechanic: Volume 1 700 Things for Boys to Do by Popular Mechanics Co.
Commercial zincs, for use in voltaic cells as now manufactured, Page 98 usually have about 4 per cent of mercury added to the molten zinc before casting into the form of plates or rods.
From Cyclopedia of Telephony & Telegraphy Vol. 1 A General Reference Work on Telephony, etc. etc. by Kempster Miller
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