noun , verb
■ noun
/ ˈælɔɪ; NAmE / [ C , U ] a metal that is formed by mixing two types of metal together, or by mixing metal with another substance :
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc.
■ verb
/ əˈlɔɪ/ [ vn ] alloy sth (with sth) ( technical ) to mix one metal with another, especially one of lower value
••
WORD ORIGIN
late 16th cent.: from Old French aloi (noun) and French aloyer (verb), both from Old French aloier , aleier combine, from Latin alligare bind. In early use the term denoted the comparative purity of gold or silver; the sense mixture of metals arose in the mid 17th cent.