amalgam en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /əˈmæl.ɡəm/
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.
Meanings
- (countable, uncountable) An alloy containing mercury.
-
(countable, uncountable) A combination of different things.
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.
1960 March, J. P. Wilson, E. N. C. Haywood, “The route through the Peak - Derby to Manchester: Part One”, in Trains Illustrated, page 149:[…] 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.
1956 October, R. S. McNaught, “Locomotive Nicknames”, in Railway Magazine, page 698:A church where spirit, pain, and joy formed a holy amalgam and were righteously acknowledged out loud.
1987 December 20, Barbara Smith, “We Must Always Bury Our Dead Twice”, in Gay Community News, volume 15, number 23, page 10:
- (countable, uncountable) One of the ingredients in an alloy.
- (countable, uncountable) An alloy of mercury used to fill tooth cavities.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| amalgams | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
sodium amalgam · amalgamable · amalgamist · Amalgamverse · amalgam gilding · amalgamism · amalgam tattoo · amalgam carrier · gold amalgam · leadamalgam · amalgamize
Relateds
Synonyms
conglomerate · combo · blend · mixture · compound · alloy
Translations (49)
id amalgam (alloy) · cmn 汞齊 /汞齐 (alloy) · it amalgama (alloy) · es amalgama (combination) · gv co-lheian (alloy) · ar مَلْغَم (alloy) · el αμάλγαμα (combination) · tr malgama (alloy) · pt amálgama (combination) · cy erblith (alloy) · sv amalgam (alloy) · cy erblith (combination) · ca amalgama (alloy) · cs amalgám (alloy) · da amalgam (alloy) · cy aloi (alloy) · pt amálgama (alloy) · ru амальга́ма (combination) · ro amestecătură (combination) · tr amalgam (alloy) · mk амалга́м (combination) · mk амалга́м (alloy) · fi amalgaami (combination) · vi hỗn hống (alloy) · de Amalgam (alloy) · pl amalgam (combination) · fi amalgaami (alloy) · pl amalgamat (combination) · ar مَلْغَمَة (alloy) · el αμάλγαμα (alloy) · fa ملغمه (combination) · el σύμφυρμα (combination) · fr amalgame (combination) · nl amalgaam (alloy) · es amalgama (alloy) · pl ortęć (alloy) · el κράμα (combination) · fr amalgame (alloy) · gv co-lheian (combination) · fa ملغمه (alloy) · pl amalgamat (alloy) · hu amalgám (alloy) · ro amalgam (alloy) · mk смеса (combination) · uk амальга́ма (alloy) · ca amalgama (combination) · ms amalgam (alloy) · bg амалга́ма (alloy) · ru амальга́ма (alloy)