nickel

 
Pronunciation: /ˈnɪk(ə)l/

noun

  • 1 [mass noun] a silvery-white metal, the chemical element of atomic number 28. (Symbol: Ni)
  • 2North American a five-cent coin; five cents: a button the size of a nickel we will see gasoline prices go up about a nickel

verb (nickels, nickelling, nickelled; US nickels, nickeling, nickeled)

[with object] (usually as adjective nickelled)
  • coat with nickel: heavily nickelled iron castings

Derivatives

nickelic

adjective

nickelous

adjective

Origin:

mid 18th century: shortening of German Kupfernickel, the copper-coloured ore from which nickel was first obtained, from Kupfer 'copper' + Nickel 'demon' (with reference to the ore's failure to yield copper)