amalgam
/əˈmælɡəm/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈmælɡəm/ (ame, ipa) · /ə-ˈmal-gəm/ (ame, mw)
amalgam — noun
1. a whole that is created by bringing different things, ideas, or styles together
a whole that is created by bringing different things, ideas, or styles together
The festival was an amalgam of street food, jazz, and local history.
pattern: amalgam of three elements
Her new novel is an unusual amalgam of family drama and science fiction.
The neighborhood is an amalgam of old temples, cafes, and art studios.
Kemi's speech was an amalgam of jokes, memories, and serious advice.
- blend
more everyday and often less formal
- combination
a broader word that does not always suggest close mixing
- fusion
often suggests that the parts join more tightly or creatively
- separation
keeps the parts apart instead of joining them
文法句型
an amalgam of cultures
an amalgam of styles and ideas
用法筆記
Usually followed by of plus plural nouns naming the parts that are joined together. Common in writing about culture, art, politics, and history.
常見錯誤
2. a material made when mercury is mixed with one or more other metals
a material made when mercury is mixed with one or more other metals
In the lab, Noor heated the amalgam until the silver mixed evenly.
chemistry context: heat an amalgam
A soft amalgam formed when the liquid mercury touched the metal powder.
form an amalgam with mercury
The jeweler scraped the old amalgam from the tray after testing the gold.
This amalgam stays solid at room temperature but melts under stronger heat.
文法句型
an amalgam of mercury and silver
form an amalgam with mercury
用法筆記
Mostly a technical chemistry or metallurgy word. It often appears in descriptions of mercury joining with metals such as silver or gold.
常見錯誤
3. a mercury-based filling material that dentists put into a damaged tooth to repai
a mercury-based filling material that dentists put into a damaged tooth to repair it
The dentist packed fresh amalgam into the back tooth after drilling.
dental use: pack amalgam into a tooth
My old amalgam filling cracked while I was chewing a hard nut.
common collocation: amalgam filling
The clinic stopped using amalgam for children and chose white fillings instead.
Haruto asked whether the dark amalgam in the molar needed replacing.
- dental filling
broader, because fillings can also be made from white resin or other materials
- silver filling
an everyday label for this older dark metal filling
文法句型
amalgam in a tooth
replace an amalgam filling
用法筆記
This sense usually refers to the dark silver material found in older fillings. It often appears before filling or in sentences about replacing old dental work.