German silver

noun

1. any of various alloys of copper, zinc, and nickel, usually white and used for utensils, drawing instruments, etc.; nickel silver.

German silver

noun

1. another name for nickel silver

Word History and Origins

Origin of German silver¹

First recorded in 1820–30

Example Sentences

The principal use of zinc is as an alloy with other metals to form brass, bronze, german silver and bearing metals.

From Project Gutenberg

The commonest alloy containing nickel is german silver, although one of its most important alloys is found in nickel steel.

From Project Gutenberg

German-silver wire has a much greater resistance than copper wire of the same size and length.

From Project Gutenberg

But nobody would understand nowadays what you meant by German-silver; it's perfectly gone out.

From Project Gutenberg

He was never without an immense, knotted, hard-wood cane with a German-silver tip on its crooked handle.

From Project Gutenberg