silver

¹sil·ver

noun \ˈsil-vər\

Definition of SILVER

1

: a white ductile very malleable metallic element that is capable of a high degree of polish, is chiefly monovalent in compounds, and has the highest thermal and electric conductivity of any substance — see element table

2

: silver as a commodity <the value of silver has risen>

3

: coin made of silver

4

: articles (as hollowware or table flatware) made of or plated with silver; also : similar articles and especially flatware of other metals (as stainless steel)

5

: a nearly neutral slightly brownish medium gray

6

: coho

7

: a silver medal awarded as the second prize in a competiton

Examples of SILVER

1. a bracelet made of silver
2. an artist who works in silver and gold
3. a wooden statue inlaid with silver
4. We need to polish the silver.

Origin of SILVER

Middle English, from Old English seolfor; akin to Old High German silbar silver, Lithuanian sidabras

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to SILVER

Synonyms

flatware, tableware, silverware

Related Words

place setting, setting, setup; silver plate; cutlery; chopstick, fork, knife, spoon, tablespoon, teaspoon

²silver

adjective

Definition of SILVER

1

: made of silver

2

: resembling silver: as

a (1) : having a white lustrous sheen (2) : of or tending towards the color silver <silver fur> <a silver gray>

b : giving a soft resonant sound : dulcet in tone

c : eloquently persuasive

3

: consisting of or yielding silver

4

: of, relating to, or characteristic of silver

5

: advocating the use of silver as a standard of currency

6

: of, relating to, or being a 25th anniversary or its celebration

Examples of SILVER

1. a dress trimmed with silver ribbon
2. <a distinguished-looking gentleman with silver hair>

First Known Use of SILVER

before 12th century

Related to SILVER

Synonyms

argentine, grayish, leaden, pewter, gray, silvery, slate, slaty (also slatey), steely

Related Words

achromatic, colorless, neutral; dirty, dull, faded, sad, washed-out; ashen, ashy, chalky, livid, mousy (or mousey), pale, palish, white, whitish; chocolate, dun, sandy, sepia; brindled (or brindle), grizzled, hoar, hoary

Near Antonyms

ablaze, bright, deep, gay, rich; chromatic, colored; colorful, motley, multicolored, polychromatic, polychrome, varicolored, variegated

³silver

transitive verb

sil·veredsil·ver·ing \ˈsil-v(ə-)riŋ\

Definition of SILVER

1

a : to cover with silver (as by electroplating)

b : to coat with a substance (as a metal) resembling silver

2

a : to give a silvery luster to

b : to make white like silver

— sil·ver·er \ˈsil-vər-ər\ noun

Examples of SILVER

1. The surface of the lake was silvered by the moonlight.

First Known Use of SILVER

14th century

sil·ver

noun \ˈsil-vər\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of SILVER

: a white metallic element that is sonorous, ductile, very malleable, capable of a high degree of polish, and chiefly monovalent in compounds, and that has the highest thermal and electric conductivity of any substance—symbol Ag; see element table

silver

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Dendritic (branching) silver from Ontario—Courtesy of Joseph and Helen Guetterman Collection; photograph, John H. Gerard

Metallic chemical element, one of the transition elements, chemical symbol Ag, atomic number 47. It is a white, lustrous precious metal, valued for its beauty. It is also valued for its electrical conductivity, which is the highest of any metal. Between copper and gold in their common group of the periodic table, it is intermediate between them in many properties. Widely distributed in nature in small amounts, as the native metal and in ores, it is usually recovered as a by-product of copper and lead production. Its use in bullion and coins was overtaken in the 1960s by demand for industrial purposes, especially photography. It is also used in printed electrical circuits, electronic conductors, and contacts. It is the catalyst for converting ethylene to ethylene oxide, the precursor of many organic chemicals. Its use in alloys in sterling (92.5% silver, 7.5% copper) and plated silverware, ornaments, and jewelry remains important; yellow gold used in jewelry is typically 25% silver, and gold dental alloys are about 10% silver. Silver dental fillings are an amalgam of silver and mercury. Silver in compounds, the most important of which is silver nitrate, has valence 1. Its chloride, bromide, and iodide are used in photography and its iodide in cloud seeding.