amalgam

noun amal·gam \ ə-ˈmal-gəm \

|Updated on: 27 May 2018

Definition of amalgam

1 : a mixture of different elements

an amalgam of musical forms

The crowd was an amalgam of young and old.

2 : an alloy of mercury with another metal that is solid or liquid at room temperature according to the proportion of mercury present and is used especially in making tooth cements

Dentists have used silver-colored mercury amalgam (mercury mixed, about 50/50, with a combination of silver, tin, copper and other metals) to fill cavities for at least 150 years.
—Jennifer Huget

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Examples of amalgam in a Sentence

a church that is an amalgam of traditional and modern architectural styles

Recent Examples of amalgam from the Web

Her sound is an amalgam of different influences: pure flamenco, jazzy undertones and that classical training at the core.

— helena alonso paisley, miamiherald, "Singer-pianist María Toledo brings unique talents to FlamenGO series | Miami Herald," 15 May 2018
This amalgam of luxury, iconoclasm, and piety further unfolds at the Cloisters, where couture masterpieces often incorporate religious painting.

— rhonda garelick, The Cut, "The Met’s ‘Heavenly Bodies’ Show Is Worth the Pilgrimage," 10 May 2018
Like Los Angeles itself, Silver Lake is an amalgam of several distinct areas.

— lesley balla, Los Angeles Magazine, "How to Eat Like a Local in L.A.’s Best Dining ‘Hoods," 25 Apr. 2018
Unlike last year's Kentucky Derby, which featured an amalgam of unspectacular horses, this year is more like the 1996 NBA draft.

— john cherwa, latimes.com, "This weekend's races should put the finishing touches on the Kentucky Derby field," 13 Apr. 2018
Just north of downtown, the Roosevelt District is an amalgam of older, relict neighborhoods.

— michael kiefer, azcentral, "Why downtown Phoenix's problem with transients defies easy answers," 7 Apr. 2018
His latest amalgam — the simplest and most balanced — is an eye-teasing sandwich of contrasting formalist strategies.

— roberta smith, martha schwendener, jason farago and will heinrich, New York Times, "What to See in New York Art Galleries This Week," 7 Feb. 2018
This involves removing the bulk of the tooth and then filling what’s left with amalgam.

— david cox /, NBC News, "The next revolution in dental care is about to begin," 15 Jan. 2018
An amalgam of real-world rappers—Lil Yachty, Chance the Rapper, and maybe even Glover’s hip-hop persona Childish Gambino circa 2011—he’s goofy and positive and straight-edge, but also secretly cutthroat.

— spencer kornhaber, The Atlantic, "Atlanta's Perfect Satire of the Music Industry in 2018," 20 Mar. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of amalgam

Middle English amalgame, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin amalgama

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 2

See Words from the same year

amalgam Synonyms

Other Chemical Engineering Terms

alkali, cation, decant, hygroscopic, isotope, oxidize, slurry, solute, viscous

AMALGAM Defined for English Language Learners

amalgam

noun

Definition of amalgam for English Language Learners

: a combination or mixture of different things
: a mixture of mercury and other metals used for filling holes in teeth

Medical Dictionary

amalgam

noun amal·gam \ ə-ˈmal-gəm \

medical Definition of amalgam

: an alloy of mercury with another metal that is solid or liquid at room temperature according to the proportion of mercury present and is used especially in making tooth cements