Word of the Day

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8

Amalgam

[ə-MAL-ɡəm]Part of speech: noun

Origin: greek, late 15th century

• A mixture or blend.
• An alloy of mercury with another metal, especially one used for dental fillings.

Examples of Amalgam in a sentence

• The menu at her party was an amalgam of snack foods and fancy baked goods.
• The mark of old-fashioned dental fillings is the silver fillings amalgam, which might need to be replaced.

About Amalgam

The origin of amalgam goes back to the Greek word “malagma,” which means an emollient. An emollient today is a skin softener, so the definitions have changed over the years. Your emollient may likely be an amalgam (mixture) of ingredients, but every amalgam is not an emollient.

Did you Know?

Amalgam can be used to describe a mixture or blend of any materials, but the technical medical and dental definition strictly concerns mercury, blended with another metal. Mercury is an element that can be dangerous to humans, but it’s found to be safe when used as part of the dental amalgam.