Join free

alloy

AI In plain words

Writing a short explanation…

Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.

alloy¹

  • /ˈæ.lɔɪ/
  • /əˈlɔɪ/

Rhymes with -ælɔɪ, -ɔɪ

Where it comes from

Borrowed from Middle French alloy, aloy, from Old French aloi, from aloiier, from Latin alligō.

noun alloys

  1. countable, uncountable A metal that is a combination of two or more elements, at least one of which is a metal, a base metal.
  2. archaic, countable, uncountable A metal of lesser value, mixed with a metal of greater value. gold without alloy
  3. countable, uncountable An admixture; something added which stains, taints etc. Metrodorus said that in sadnesse there is some aloy of pleasure.
  4. countable, figuratively, uncountable A fusion, marriage or combination. SETH KITANGE TELEVISION AND RADIO Upheaval at CBS. […] Bill Moyers, a CBS News commentator and special correspondent, expressed his dismay in an interview with Newsweek in which he said, “Television news has never been pure. It has always been an alloy of journalism and show business.”

Similar: alloy

alloy²

  • /əˈlɔɪ/
  • /ˈæ.lɔɪ/

Rhymes with -ɔɪ

Where it comes from

Modification of Middle English alayen after Etymology 1, from Middle French allayer, vairant of allier, from Old French allier (“assemble, join”), from Latin alligare (“bind to, tie to”), compound of ad (“to”) + ligare (“to bind”).

verb alloys · alloying · alloyed

  1. transitive To mix or combine; often used of metals.
  2. transitive To reduce the purity of by mixing with a less valuable substance. to alloy gold with silver or copper, or silver with copper
  3. figuratively, transitive To impair or debase by mixture. to alloy pleasure with misfortunes

Talk about this word