nickel

noun

nick·​el ˈni-kəl 

variants or less commonly nickle

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 Chemical Elements Table

2

a(1)

: the U.S. 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 (such as marijuana)

called also nickel bag

4

: a pass defense in football that employs five defensive backs

Examples of nickel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Bills were in nickel for 70 percent of their plays through the three series, meaning only two defensive linemen were on the field. — Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026

The versatile defensive back, who can play nickel or outside, joins fifth-year safety Matthew Bailey, an honorable-mention All-Big Ten pick last season, as the veteran leaders of the group. — Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026

The Patriots opened in a three-safety nickel package and even played dime personnel (six defensive backs) on third-and-short. — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 15 Aug. 2026

Not suited up were incumbent starters Deommodore Lenoir, Renardo Green and nickel back Upton Stout. — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing nickel

• nickel-and-dime
• nickel silver
• not cost a dime/nickel

Rhymes for nickel

• fickle
• mickle
• nickle
• nicol
• pickle
• prickle
• sickle
• tickle
• trickle
• druidical
• microscopical
• ventricle

Kids Definition

nickel

1 of 2 noun

nick·​el

ˈnik-əl

1

: a silver-white hard metallic element that can be hammered and shaped and is capable of a high polish, resistant to wearing away, and used chiefly in alloys see element

2

a

also nickle : the U.S. five-cent piece made of nickel and copper

b

: five cents

nickel

2 of 2 verb

nick·​el

nickeled or nickelled; nickeling or nickelling

ˈnik-(ə-)liŋ

: to plate with nickel

Etymology

derived from German Kupfernickel "a compound of nickel and arsenic," literally "copper demon," from Kupfer "copper" and Nickel "demon"

Word Origin

When copper miners in the German state of Saxony first dug out chunks of what is now known to be nickel ore, they thought it was copper. But even though it was reddish-brown like copper, the ore broke easily and did not seem to have any use. Because they were at first fooled, the Germans called this ore Kupfernickel, meaning literally "copper demon" or "copper goblin." Kupfer is the German word for "copper" and Nickel in German means "demon" or "goblin." Even though the metal turned out to be quite valuable, it kept its old name. For a while the term was copper nickel in English, and then simply nickel, for both the metal and the American five-cent coin made out of a combination of nickel and copper.

Medical Definition

nickel

noun

nick·​el ˈnik-əl 

: 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 Chemical Elements Table