nickel

nick·el

noun \ˈni-kəl\

Definition of NICKEL

1

: a silver-white hard malleable ductile metallic element capable of a high polish and resistant to corrosion that is used chiefly in alloys and as a catalyst — see element table

2

a (1) : the United States 5-cent piece regularly containing 25 percent nickel and 75 percent copper (2) : the Canadian 5-cent piece

b : five cents

3

slang : a packet containing five dollars worth of an illicit drug (as marijuana) —called also nickel bag

4

: a pass defense in football that employs five defensive backs

Variants of NICKEL

nick·el also nick·le \ˈni-kəl\

Origin of NICKEL

probably from Swedish nickel, from German Kupfernickel niccolite (mineral containing nickel arsenide) probably from Kupfer copper + Nickel goblin; from the deceptive copper color of niccolite

First Known Use: 1755

Rhymes with NICKEL

brickle, chicle, fickle, mickle, pickle, prickle, sickle, stickle, tical, tickle, trickle

nick·el

noun \ˈnik-əl\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of NICKEL

: a silver-white hard malleable ductile metallic element capable of a high polish and resistant to corrosion that is used chiefly in alloys and as a catalyst—symbol Ni; see element table

nickel

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Metallic chemical element, one of the transition elements, chemical symbol Ni, atomic number 28. Nickel is silvery white, tough, harder than iron, ferromagnetic (see ferromagnetism), and highly resistant to rusting and corrosion. It occasionally occurs free and is fairly common but not often concentrated in igneous rocks. As pure metal, it is used to coat other metals (see plating) and as a catalyst. In alloys, it is used in coins, Monel metal, nickel silver, nickel-chrome and stainless steels, permanant magnets, and cutlery. Its compounds, in which it most often has valence 2, have a variety of industrial uses, as catalysts and mordants (see dye) and in electroplating.