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Vinony

amalgam

noun

  1. alloy of mercury with another metal
L316210 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /əˈmæl.ɡəm/

noun

Etymology: From Medieval Latin amalgama (“mercury alloy”), from Arabic اَلْمَلْغَم (al-malḡam, “emollient poultice or unguent for sores”), from Ancient Greek μάλαγμα (málagma, “emollient; malleable material”), from μαλάσσω (malássō, “to soften”), from μαλακός (malakós, “soft”). Doublet of malagma. For the verb, compare French amalgamer.

  1. An alloy containing mercury.
  2. A combination of different things.

    “[…] nor must we overlook, in quite recent times, the ingenious "Dukedog", a little 4-4-0 (officially 90XX class) whose Victorian lineaments arise from an economical amalgam of obsolete "Duke" and "Bulldog" components.”

    “This was the Ambergate, Nottingham & Boston & Eastern Junction Railway, an amalgam of a number of separate schemes put forward in 1845, which secured its Act on July 16, 1846.”

  3. One of the ingredients in an alloy.
  4. An alloy of mercury used to fill tooth cavities.

verb

Etymology: From Medieval Latin amalgama (“mercury alloy”), from Arabic اَلْمَلْغَم (al-malḡam, “emollient poultice or unguent for sores”), from Ancient Greek μάλαγμα (málagma, “emollient; malleable material”), from μαλάσσω (malássō, “to soften”), from μαλακός (malakós, “soft”). Doublet of malagma. For the verb, compare French amalgamer.

  1. To amalgamate (something) with a thing.

    “gold t’amalgam with some six of mercury”

    “[…] I had once occaſion to diſtil in a ſmall Retort ſome Gold amalgamed vvith ſuch a fine and ſubtile Mercury, that being (vvithout the addition of any Salt) put to the Gold in the cold, they preſently grevv hot together.”