| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. |
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| amalgam |
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| SYLLABICATION: | a·mal·gam |
| PRONUNCIATION: |   -m l gm |
| NOUN: | 1. Any of various alloys of mercury with other metals, especially: a. An alloy of mercury and silver used in dental fillings. b. An alloy of mercury and tin used in silvering mirrors. 2. A combination of diverse elements; a mixture: an amalgam of strength, reputation, and commitment to ethical principles. See synonyms at mixture. | | ETYMOLOGY: | Middle English, from Old French amalgame, from Medieval Latin amalgama, probably ultimately from Greek malagma, soft mass.
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| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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