aluminium
UK /ˌæl.(j)ʊˈmɪn.i.əm/ · US /ˌæl.(j)uˈmɪn.i.əm/ noun
Also a form of aluminum
Forms aluminiums aluminum § Usage notes
- noun (chemistry) A light, silvery metal extracted from bauxite, and a chemical element (symbol Al) with an atomic number of 13.
- noun (countable) An atom of this element.
- noun (slang) Aircraft or other machinery made partially or wholly of aluminium.
Synonyms
alumium E173 when used as a food colouring aluminum Al atomic number 13
Etymology
First used in 1812 as an alternative form of aluminum which was coined in the same year. From Latin alūmen + -ium.
* For information on the origins of the two spellings, see the Wikipedia article.
Webster’s 1913
- noun The metallic base of alumina. This metal is white, but with a bluish tinge, and is remarkable for its resistance to oxidation, and for its lightness, pertaining a specific gravity of about 2.6. Atomic weight 27.08. Symbol Al. Aluminium bronze or gold, a pale gold-colored alloy of aluminium and copper, used for journal bearings, etc.
Etymology [L. alumen. See Alum.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “aluminium”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details