silver

noun sil·ver \ ˈsil-vər \

|Updated on: 18 Jun 2018

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 Chemical Elements Table

2 : silver as a commodity

the value of silver has risen

3 : coin made of silver

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

See silver defined for English-language learners

See silver defined for kids

Examples of silver in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of silver from the Web

The woman got out and the masked person drove off in an unknown direction in her silver four-door Toyota sedan, Amezaga said.

— hannah leone, chicagotribune.com, "Police: Woman carjacked at gunpoint in South Austin," 14 June 2018
After waving goodbye to onlookers, the couple drove away in a silver blue Jaguar E-Type Concept Zero bearing a custom license plate that read E190518, their wedding date.

— refinery29.com, "Now You Can Buy A Replica Of Meghan Markle’s Reception Dress," 14 June 2018
For that scene, Lopez shifts into a relaxed look comprised of blue cargo pants and a pair of sneakers, before switching again to a slinky silver dress.

— liana satenstein, Vogue, "19 Years Later, Jennifer Lopez’s “If You Had My Love” Music Video Is Still a Fashion Classic," 13 June 2018
With the help of a police dog trained to sniff out weapons, deputies later found a loaded, silver .38 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun on the roof of the school, investigators said.

— wayne k. roustan, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Fugitive burglar tossed gun on school roof, sparking a lockdown that got him locked up, cops say," 13 June 2018
Our elders have the most beautiful, long silver gray hair.

— lindsay schallon, Glamour, "This Is What the Beauty of Cultural Appreciation Looks Like," 13 June 2018
The train — a black locomotive and four silver cars — eased out of the State Street station Wednesday morning, onto a latticework of tracks that routes trains east to Old Saybrook, north to Hartford and Springfield.

— matthew ormseth, courant.com, "Riding The Hartford Line: Years In The Making, Now Days Away," 13 June 2018
In the next room were silver serving dishes with Italiano Diet pasta.

— james barron, New York Times, "Ivana Trump Wants to Talk Diet, Not Donald," 13 June 2018
Vendors offer antiques, furnishings, clothing, costume and silver jewelry.

— joshua fechter, San Antonio Express-News, "A guide to San Antonio’s many antique stores," 11 June 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of silver

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

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First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

silver Synonyms

Synonyms

flatware, silverware, tableware;

Related Words

place setting, setting, setup;

silver plate;

cutlery;

chopstick, fork, knife, spoon, tablespoon, teaspoon;

silver

adjective

Definition of silver

1 : made of silver

2 : resembling silver: such 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

See silver defined for English-language learners

Examples of silver in a Sentence

a dress trimmed with silver ribbon
a distinguished-looking gentleman with silver hair

Recent Examples of silver from the Web

Even when the daytime is hot and frantic, even when the afternoon feels never-endingly mundane, there’s still a space that is yours, a space that waits for you, filled with a secret silver magic.

— claire comstock-gay, The Cut, "Madame Clairevoyant: Horoscopes for the Week of June 11," 11 June 2018
While in Paris, Emily Ratajkowski gave off a very luxe Studio 54 vibe in a glittering barely there silver top.

— liana satenstein, Vogue, "The 13 Best Fashion Instagrams of the Week: Victoria Beckham Does “Country Chic,” Solange Nails the Mirror Selfie," 2 June 2018
Isabel Marant dress, Nikita Karizma bra, Giuseppe Zanotti pink shoes, Jennifer Fisher silver star earring, and silver triangle earring, Le Vian diamond gold ring, Hearts on Fire diamond silver ring.

— margaret wappler, Harper's BAZAAR, "Jenna Dewan's New Dawn," 29 May 2018
Its production was also a proxy for a central economic activity, the use of silver in the Romans’ standard silver coin, the denarius.

— New York Times, "An Ice Core Reveals the Economic Health of the Roman Empire," 14 May 2018
This revealed ceramics, bronze, silver, gold and iron objects, more glass and silver beads, a silver sword pendant and a Roman coin.

— ashley strickland, CNN, "Skeletons tell story of 'truly horrifying' fifth-century massacre," 1 May 2018
Kane said the two vehicles, a pickup truck and a silver sedan, were being driven south on 9th Street when the driver of the truck apparently took the turn onto New York Avenue too wide and struck the sedan.

— peter hermann, Washington Post, "Vehicle strikes four pedestrians in downtown Washington after crash," 24 Apr. 2018
The Spice Girl opted for a deep navy blue dress with a mandarin collar, clasped with small silver buckle for Meghan and Harry's nuptials.

— alex warner, Marie Claire, "This Is What Victoria Beckham Really Thinks About Meghan Markle's Wedding Dress," 24 May 2018
The boy was walking down the street when a silver car pulled up and a man got out and began firing a gun, hitting the boy and woman, police said.

— paige fry, chicagotribune.com, "5 wounded in shootings on South, Southwest sides," 23 May 2018

First Known Use of silver

before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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silver Synonyms

silver

verb

Definition of silver

silvered; silvering play \ˈsil-v(ə-)riŋ\

transitive verb

1 a : to cover with silver (as by electroplating)

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

2 a : to give a silvery luster to

b : to make white like silver

—

silverer

play \ˈsil-vər-ər\ noun

See silver defined for English-language learners

Examples of silver in a Sentence

The surface of the lake was silvered by the moonlight.

Recent Examples of silver from the Web

As the years silvered his hair, his decision to leave it undyed, rare among high-ranking cadres, marked him out as different, even a bit daring.

— The Economist, "No ordinary ZhouZhou Xiaochuan, China’s central-bank chief, is about to retire," 1 Feb. 2018
For the color of rain and silvered rivers scribbled on distant hills.

— hartford courant, courant.com, "Loss And Affirmation: The Poems Of Julia Morris Paul," 18 July 2017
Today, my mischievous father is forever 54, with a head of brown hair, just silvered at the temples.

— special to the denver post, The Denver Post, "Mind’s Eye: On Father’s Day, I think of pranks," 14 June 2017
But the defining shot of last year's Finals and maybe of this NBA era was made by the Cavaliers' Kyrie Irving over Steph Curry in the last minute of the last game of last year's Finals, reducing the Warriors to silver medalists.

— bill livingston, cleveland.com, "NBA Finals 2017: Golden State shoots down Cleveland Cavaliers again for 2-0 lead: Bill Livingston (photos)," 4 June 2017

First Known Use of silver

14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

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SILVER Defined for English Language Learners

silver

noun

Definition of silver for English Language Learners

: a soft grayish-white metal that is very valuable and is used to make jewelry, coins, knives, forks, etc.
: objects (such as knives, forks, teapots, candlesticks, etc.) that are made of or covered with silver
: coins that are made of silver

silver

adjective

Definition of silver for English Language Learners

: made of silver
: containing silver
: of or relating to silver

silver

verb

Definition of silver for English Language Learners

: to cover (something, such as a mirror) with a thin layer of silver or something that looks like silver
: to make (something) shine like silver

SILVER Defined for Kids

silver

noun sil·ver \ ˈsil-vər \

Definition of silver for Students

1 : a soft white metallic chemical element that can be polished and is used for money, jewelry and ornaments, and table utensils

2 : coin made of silver

3 : silverware

table silver

4 : a medal made of silver that is given to someone who wins second place in a contest

5 : a medium gray

silver

adjective

Definition of silver for Students

1 : made of, coated with, or yielding the soft white metallic chemical element silver

a silver teapot

2 : having the medium gray color of silver

silver hair

silver

verb

Definition of silver for Students

silvered; silvering

: to coat with or as if with silver

Before us, the countryside unfolded, silvered by frost and moonlight.
—Richard Peck, A Year Down Yonder

Medical Dictionary

silver

noun sil·ver \ ˈsil-vər \

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 Chemical Elements Table