nickel

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“
It can be an allergic reaction to metal such as nickel which is used to make ear rings.

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Definitions (17)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (4)

  1. noun A silvery, hard, ductile, ferromagnetic metallic element used in alloys, in corrosion-resistant surfaces and batteries, and for electroplating. Atomic number 28; atomic weight 58.69; melting point 1,453°C; boiling point 2,732°C; specific gravity 8.902; valence 0, 1, 2, 3. See Table at element.
  2. noun A U.S. coin worth five cents, made of a nickel and copper alloy.
  3. noun Slang A nickel bag.
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Examples (50)

  • For a nickel, the consumer not only got to hear her favorite tune, but was treated to a lively piece of mechanical theater as a record was spun, twisted, and loaded.
  • For example, some say supplies of primers, gunpowder, copper and nickel are affected by some kind of government action, or at least that an unsettled economy sends people in search of alternative currency or objects of more consistent value. —  KSL / U.S. / National
  • Virtually every base metal-nickel, copper, zinc, lead-has risen quite dramatically since last fall's lows. —  Mineweb - Daily news headlines
  • Loretta, kept "the business" running smoothly while Preacher was inside, and she can't believe he'd trade Easy Street bling for a nickel-and-dime dead-end job. —  Camy's Loft
  • Since it weighs less than nickel, also used in batteries, it would allow electric cars to store more energy and be driven longer distances. —  Free Internet Press
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Etymologies (3)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Swedish, short for kopparnickel, niccolite, partial translation of German Kupfernickel : Kupfer, copper + Nickel, demon, rascal, from the deceptive copper color of the ore (from the name Nikolaus, Nicholas).

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (2)

  1. = D. G. nickel = Danish nikkel = French nickel = Russian nikkelĭ = New Latin niccolum, from Swedish nickel, nickel, so called by Cronstedt in 1754, abbreviation from Swedish kopparnickel (German kupfernickel), a mineral containing the metal, from koppar (= English copper) + nickel, a word identified by some with G. Nickel, the devil (see Nick) (cf. cobalt as related to kobold), and by others compared with Icelandic hnikill (Haldorson), a ball, lump.
  2. from nickel, n.
 

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/ˈnɪkɛl/
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