ALLOY


Meaning of ALLOY in English

I. ˈa-ˌlȯi also ə-ˈlȯi noun

Etymology: French aloi, from Old French alei, from aleir to combine, from Latin alligare to bind — more at ally

Date: 1604

1. : the degree of mixture with base metals : fineness

2. : a substance composed of two or more metals or of a metal and a nonmetal intimately united usually by being fused together and dissolving in each other when molten ; also : the state of union of the components

3.

a. : an admixture that lessens value

b. : an impairing alien element

4. : a compound, mixture, or union of different things

an ethnic alloy of many peoples

5. archaic : a metal mixed with a more valuable metal to give durability or some other desired quality

II. ə-ˈlȯi also ˈa-ˌlȯi

Date: 1661

transitive verb

1.

a. : temper , moderate

b. : to impair or debase by admixture

2. : to reduce the purity of by mixing with a less valuable metal

3. : to mix so as to form an alloy

intransitive verb

: to lend itself to being alloyed

iron alloy s well

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.