An alloy is a material made when metals or other elements are melted and mixed. This makes new metals stronger or better for use.
Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon.
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc.
When you alloy metals, you heat and mix them to make a new metal called an alloy. This changes the metal’s strength or other qualities.
They alloyed copper with tin to make bronze.
To make steel, iron is alloyed with carbon.
Alloy can also mean a thing mixed in that makes something less pure or lower quality. It is like a small impurity or extra part.
The pure gold had a small alloy of other metals.
Adding alloy to food lowers its quality.
Alloy can also mean a mixture of different feelings, qualities, or styles in a person or thing. It shows a combination, not only metals.
Her speech was an alloy of hope and fear.
The film is an alloy of comedy and drama.
To alloy (something) can mean to make it weaker or less pure by mixing it with something else, like adding a smaller feeling to a larger one.
His kindness was alloyed by anger.
Joy was alloyed with sadness in the story.
In heraldry (coat of arms), alloy can mean a special design made of triangles in a pattern. It is a technical use not common in daily English.
The shield had a gold and red alloy design.
Alloy patterns decorate old coats of arms.
