aluminum

noun, often attributive

alu·mi·num | \ ə-ˈlü-mə-nəm

Definition of aluminum

: a silver-white metallic chemical element with atomic number 13 that has good electrical and thermal conductivity, high reflectivity, and resistance to oxidation —often used before another noun aluminum foilThe sweet spot, the point in a bat where vibration supposedly is least, is said to be two times larger on an aluminum bat than on a wood one.— Hank HerschBefore he evacuated, Mr. Gonzales tied the boat down with four gigantic ropes and all the storm could do was knock it off the construction blocks. He slowly climbs a battered aluminum ladder propped up on the port side.— Ken Wells — see Chemical Elements Table

Examples of aluminum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The knife can be ordered with one of three handle materials—aluminum, carbon fiber or G10. — Chuck Thompson, Popular Mechanics, "Why Portland, Oregon, is the Knife-making Capital of the U.S.," 25 May 2019 Of 23 vessels scrapped, 16 were capesize vessels, the biggest cargo ships that move products such as iron, aluminum, coal and cement from mines in Australia and Latin America to China. — Costas Paris, WSJ, "Sliding Freight Rates Send More Big Bulk Ships to Scrapyards," 12 Apr. 2019 The good news is that the countries agreed to lift the tit-for-tat tariffs that the U.S. imposed last year on the dubious grounds that steel and aluminum from our close northern ally is a threat to national security. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "A Metals Tariff Reprieve," 17 May 2019 Let’s make the switch to infinitely recyclable aluminum. — Kaleigh Fasanella, Allure, "Game of Thrones’ Jason Momoa Shaved His Iconic Beard, and Fans Are in a Frenzy," 18 Apr. 2019 The aluminum handle includes eight additional tools. — Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, "Leatherman Rethinks the Multitool. This Time With Magnets.," 17 Apr. 2019 With aluminum frames, lockable doors, insulation and ventilation, the shelters can be constructed in around 20 minutes without tools. — Scott Greenstone, The Seattle Times, "Homeless shelters that can be built in around 20 minutes without tools. Did political theater in Seattle this week showcase a practical solution?," 13 Apr. 2019 Some of the debris, such as aluminum shavings, seems rather minor but could work its way deep into the aircraft. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "Air Force Stops Deliveries of Trash-Filled KC-46 Tankers Yet Again," 3 Apr. 2019 Doctors eventually diagnosed her with hyperhidrosis of the vulva and had her use Drysol (a strong topical treatment of aluminum chloride hexahydrate, which helps close sweat ducts). — Korin Miller, SELF, "What to Do if You’re Extremely Sweaty in the General Vicinity of Your Vagina," 3 Apr. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'aluminum.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

5 Jun 2019

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Time Traveler for aluminum

The first known use of aluminum was in 1812

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More Definitions for aluminum

aluminum

noun

English Language Learners Definition of aluminum

: a silver metal that is strong and light and that is used for making many products

See the full definition for aluminum in the English Language Learners Dictionary

aluminum

noun

alu·mi·num | \ ə-ˈlü-mə-nəm

Kids Definition of aluminum

: a silver-white light metallic chemical element that is easily worked, conducts electricity well, resists weathering, and is the most plentiful metal in the earth's crust

aluminum

noun, often attributive

alu·mi·num | \ ə-ˈlü-mə-nəm

Medical Definition of aluminum

: a bluish silver-white malleable ductile light trivalent metallic element that has good electrical and thermal conductivity, high reflectivity, and resistance to oxidation and is the most abundant metal in the earth's crust where it always occurs in combination —symbol Al — see Chemical Elements Table