silver-plated

IPA/ˌsɪlvə ˈpleɪtɪd/
IPA/ˌsɪlvər ˈpleɪtɪd/

silver-plated — adjective

1. made of a base metal that has been given a thin outer layer of silver, usually t

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

made of a base metal that has been given a thin outer layer of silver, usually to make it look more attractive or valuable without the high cost of solid silver

Example

The silver-plated photo frame on Ravindra's desk held a picture of his family in Mumbai.

Alessia found a set of silver-plated spoons at the flea market for five dollars.

collocation: silver-plated + nouns (spoons, jewellery, trays, etc.)

Common collocations
  • silver-plated cutlery
  • silver-plated jewellery
  • silver-plated tray
  • silver-plated spoon
  • silver-plated photo frame
  • silver-plated earrings
Synonyms
  • silver-coated

    more general term; can describe any object with a silver layer however applied

  • electroplated

    more technical; specifies that the silver was applied using an electric current

  • plated

    broader meaning; could refer to gold, nickel, or other metals, not just silver

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

silver-plated + noun (attributive)

be + silver-plated (predicative)

Usage Note

Commonly used attributively before nouns (silver-plated cutlery) or predicatively after be (the tray is silver-plated). Describes objects intended to imitate solid silver at a lower price point.

Common Mistakes

This ring is silver-plated, so it is very expensive.
This ring is silver-plated, so it costs less than one made of solid silver.
Silver-plated means coated with a thin layer, not made entirely of silver; it is usually cheaper.
The silver-plated is too thin.
The silver plating is too thin.
Use the noun form 'silver plating' when referring to the coating layer itself, not the adjective.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Silver-plated is the most common everyday term for objects with a thin silver layer bonded to a cheaper base metal. Silver-coated is broader — it can describe any silver covering, including paint or foil, and is less associated with traditional metalworking. Electroplated is a technical term that specifies the silver was deposited using an electric current; it implies greater durability and precision than general plating. Plated on its own is vaguer: it could mean gold, nickel, chrome, or silver, so context is needed. For example, a shop tag reading "silver-plated brooch" tells you exactly what metal was used, whereas "plated brooch" could refer to any metal finish.

silver-plated ↗silver-coatedelectroplated ↗plated ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Etymology

Old EnglishFrenchEnglish

Silver comes from the Old English word seolfor, which traces back to Germanic and ultimately to a Semitic root (cf. Akkadian šarpu, meaning refined silver). Plated comes from the French word plate, meaning a flat piece of metal. The compound silver-plated came into common use in the 19th century, when industrial electroplating made it possible to coat inexpensive metals with a thin layer of silver, creating affordable goods that resembled solid silver.