amalgam

noun amal·gam \ ə-ˈmal-gəm \

|Updated on: 5 Aug 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

See amalgam defined for English-language learners

See amalgam defined for kids

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

The 66 districts with these nominees are a true amalgam of American places: urban and rural, high and low income, ethnically and racially diverse and much less so.

— NBC News, "In 2018, Women candidates are on track to make history," 27 May 2018
The monumental 84-by-132-inch painting draws on an amalgam of sources - Mexican, European, African, Egyptian, Greek - and has the woozy surreal quality of an opium dream.

— victoria dalkey, sacbee, "Crocker showcases diversity of Eduardo Carrillo's work, from realism to myth and fantasy," 6 July 2018
Nearly two centuries ago, Chinese workers stir-fried an amalgam of home and sold it in America.

— jessica meyers, latimes.com, "P.F. Chang's comes to Shanghai, but can you really sell American Chinese food to the country that invented the wok?," 25 May 2018
General Motors itself rose from that morass, an amalgam of several companies.

— rick tetzeli, Fortune, "GM Gets Ready for a Post-Car Future," 23 May 2018
Like some amalgam of science fiction fabulist and pornographer, Kool Keith — a 1980s innovator turned ’90s eccentric turned 2000s mystery — pinballs among topics, sentiments and scenes.

— jon caramanica, New York Times, "Indie Rap Veterans Return to a Genre Still in Need of Opposition," 4 Apr. 2018
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

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