zinc

noun, often attributive

\ ˈziŋk

Definition of zinc

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a bluish-white metallic element that is ductile when pure but in the commercial form is brittle at ordinary temperatures and becomes ductile on slight heating, occurs abundantly in minerals, is an essential micronutrient for both plants and animals, and is used especially in alloys and as a protective coating in galvanizing iron and steel — see Chemical Elements Table

zinc

verb

zinced or zincked\ ˈziŋ(k)t

\; zincing or zincking\ ˈziŋ-kiŋ

Definition of zinc (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to treat or coat with zinc : galvanize

Examples of zinc in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The facility also accepts contaminants such as arsenic, lead, zinc, cadmium and other metals. — Keith Ridler, The Seattle Times, "Monitors check for radiation release after waste site blast," 20 Nov. 2018 There were also minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, sodium, and zinc, all of which are found in red meat and dairy products. — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, "Ötzi the Iceman’s last meal shows how Copper Age people ate on the run," 13 July 2018 Among the more than two dozen ingredients in the kangaroo formula: biotin, choline, inositol, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, zinc, iron, manganese, copper, iodine and selenium. — Serena Solomon, New York Times, "Saving Koalas, and Other Marsupials, With Milk Almost as Good as Mom’s," 24 Feb. 2018 Montana, I-186 Requirements for Permits and Reclamation Plans of New Hard Rock Mines Initiative This item on Montana's ballot deals with the way the state regulates hard rock mining, which includes mining for gold, copper, zinc, nickel, and more. — Megan Geuss, Ars Technica, "States will vote on these energy and environment issues in midterm elections," 4 Nov. 2018 This one from Redken is formulated with pyrithione zinc, which treats dandruff without stripping your hair color. — Ashley Weatherford, The Cut, "The Best Dandruff Shampoos for Every Type of Hair," 19 Jan. 2018 Energy storage includes grid-scale lithium-ion batteries as well as vanadium and zinc flow batteries, lead-acid batteries, and advanced lead batteries. — Megan Geuss, Ars Technica, "New year, same story: Cost of wind and solar fall below cost of coal and gas," 12 Nov. 2018 For more stubborn flare-ups, experts recommend sticking to traditional dandruff treatments such as over-the-counter shampoos containing the antifungal and antibacterial ingredient pyrithione zinc or prescription medicines from your dermatologist. — Krissy Brady, SELF, "What Tea Tree Oil Can and Can’t Do for Your Skin," 4 Oct. 2018 The Russian Soyuz capsule, used to transport astronauts to and from the ISS, uses silver-zinc batteries that last only a few months. — Loren Grush, The Verge, "NASA is prepared if a battery ever explodes in space," 17 Aug. 2018

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

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about zinc

Dictionary Entries near zinc

Statistics for zinc

Last Updated

17 Jan 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for zinc

The first known use of zinc was in 1651

See more words from the same year

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for zinc

zinc

noun

English Language Learners Definition of zinc

: a bluish-white metal that is very common and is used especially to make brass and as a protective coating for things made of iron and steel

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

zinc

noun

\ ˈziŋk

Kids Definition of zinc

: a bluish white metal that tarnishes only slightly in moist air and is used mostly to make alloys and to give iron and steel a protective coating

zinc

noun

\ ˈziŋk

Medical Definition of zinc

: a bluish white crystalline bivalent metallic element of low to intermediate hardness that is an essential micronutrient for both plants and animals —symbol Zn — see Chemical Elements Table