nickel

3 synonyms for nickel, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A hard, silvery-white metallic element (symbol Ni, atomic number 28), often used in alloys and plating.

Synonyms

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

five-cent piece jitney

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

A hard, silvery-white metallic element (symbol Ni, atomic number 28), often used in alloys and plating.

“The coin is made from a copper-nickel alloy.”

five-cent piece Ni

2. noun

An American or Canadian coin worth five cents.

“He dug a nickel out of his pocket to pay the meter.”

jitney

How to use nickel

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

nickel and dime nickel-plated not worth a nickel

Etymology

Borrowed from German Nickel, shortened from Kupfernickel ("copper-nickel", literally "copper goblin"), because the ore looked like it contained copper but yielded none — miners blamed a mischievous spirit named after Nikolaus (Nicholas).

Full origin of nickel →

Frequently asked questions

What does “nickel” mean?

The word “nickel” means a hard, silvery-white metallic element (symbol Ni, atomic number 28), often used in alloys and plating. In plain terms, either the metallic element, or the American five-cent coin named after it.

How do you pronounce “nickel”?

“Nickel” is pronounced NIHK-uhl (/ˈnɪk.əl/ in IPA).

How do you use “nickel” in a sentence?

Here is “nickel” used in a sentence: “The coin is made from a copper-nickel alloy.”

What part of speech is “nickel”?

“Nickel” is a noun.

Where does the word “nickel” come from?

The word “nickel” comes from German.

Is “nickel” a common word?

“Nickel” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “nickel” have?

“Nickel” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a hard, silvery-white metallic element (symbol Ni, atomic number 28), often used in alloys and plating.

What is the difference between nickel and steel?</question>

Nickel is a hard, silvery-white metallic element used in alloys and plating, while steel is itself an alloy primarily made of iron and carbon, sometimes combined with nickel to improve strength and corrosion resistance. Nickel is a raw element, whereas steel is a manufactured combination of metals.

How much is a nickel worth?

A nickel is an American or Canadian coin worth five cents. It is distinct from the metallic element nickel, though the coin was historically made partly from that metal.

What is the difference between nickel the metal and nickel the coin?

Nickel the metal is a hard, silvery-white metallic element used in alloys and plating, while nickel the coin is an American or Canadian coin worth five cents. The coin takes its name from the metal historically used in its composition.

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