nickel
Syllabification: (nick·el)
Pronunciation: /ˈnikəl/
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[ with object]
Definition of nickel
noun
- 1a silvery-white metal, the chemical element of atomic number 28. (Symbol: Ni)
Nickel occurs naturally in various minerals, and the earth’s core is believed to consist largely of metallic iron and nickel. The chief use of nickel is in alloys, especially with iron, to which it imparts strength and resistance to corrosion, and with copper for coinage
verb ( nickels, nickeling, nickeled ; Britishnickels, nickelling, nickelled)
Origin:
mid 18th century: shortening of German Kupfernickel, the copper-colored ore from which nickel was first obtained, from Kupfer 'copper' + Nickel 'demon' (with reference to the ore's failure to yield copper)