zinc
Americannoun
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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
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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.
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Its full-year production guidance for copper, zinc and nickel was kept unchanged.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
Lead production rose 15% and zinc production decreased 2.6% compared with the second quarter of 2025, it said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
One common complaint is that mineral sunscreens containing zinc oxide can leave a noticeable white or gray film on the skin.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026
Instead, the researchers changed the physical shape of the zinc oxide particles already used in many mineral sunscreens.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026
He was into that all-natural, fruit-based crap, because the regular kind, with zinc or aluminum or whatever in it, gives you Alzheimer’s, I forget why.
From "Burning Blue" by Paul Griffin
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
"Parisian zincs are the ideal theater of the comedy of man," observes the weekly L'Express.
From Time Magazine Archive
In casting zincs for batteries a separate crucible, used only for zinc, is very desirable, as the presence of a very small amount of lead or other impurity will cause the batteries to polarize.
From The Boy Mechanic: Volume 1 700 Things for Boys to Do by Popular Mechanics Co.
The axis, M, of the jack, on revolving, carries along a crank, MD, to which is fixed a connecting-rod, A, whose other extremity is attached to the horizontal beam that supports the zincs and counterpoises.
From Scientific American Supplement, No. 447, July 26, 1884 by Various
While the proprietors of the adjacent wine-shops and "zincs" grumbled at the new order of things, the young people were making the best of Mardi Gras in hilarious fashion.
From Mlle. Fouchette A Novel of French Life by Murray, Charles Theodore
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
