amalgam

/əˈmælɡəm/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈmælɡəm/ (ame, ipa) · /ə-ˈmal-gəm/ (ame, mw)

amalgam — 名詞

1. a whole that is created by bringing different things, ideas, or styles together

1.名詞C2
釋義

融合體

由不同元素組成的整體

a whole that is created by bringing different things, ideas, or styles together

例句

The festival was an amalgam of street food, jazz, and local history.

這場節慶是街頭美食、爵士樂和在地歷史的混合體。

pattern: amalgam of three elements

Her new novel is an unusual amalgam of family drama and science fiction.

她的新小說是家庭劇與科幻題材的不尋常融合體。

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • 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

❌The exhibition was an amalgam from local myths and dance.
✅The exhibition was an amalgam of local myths and dance.
💡This noun normally takes 'of', not 'from'.

2. a material made when mercury is mixed with one or more other metals

2.名詞C2
釋義

汞齊

汞與其他金屬形成的合金

a material made when mercury is mixed with one or more other metals

例句

In the lab, Noor heated the amalgam until the silver mixed evenly.

在實驗室裡，Noor 把那團汞齊加熱到銀均勻混合。

chemistry context: heat an amalgam

A soft amalgam formed when the liquid mercury touched the metal powder.

當液態汞碰到金屬粉末時，就形成了一團柔軟的汞齊。

form an amalgam with mercury

同義詞
  • alloy

    broader, because many alloys do not contain mercury

  • mixture

    more general and less scientific

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

❌Mercury is an amalgam by itself.
✅Mercury forms an amalgam when it is mixed with another metal.
💡An amalgam is a mixture, not mercury alone.

3. a mercury-based filling material that dentists put into a damaged tooth to repai

3.名詞C2
釋義

銀汞合金

牙醫補牙用的含汞填補材料

a mercury-based filling material that dentists put into a damaged tooth to repair it

例句

The dentist packed fresh amalgam into the back tooth after drilling.

牙醫在鑽完後，把新的銀汞合金填進後面的牙齒裡。

dental use: pack amalgam into a tooth

My old amalgam filling cracked while I was chewing a hard nut.

我那顆舊的銀汞合金補綴在咬硬堅果時裂開了。

common collocation: amalgam filling

同義詞
  • 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.

常見錯誤

❌The dentist used amalgam to clean the tooth.
✅The dentist used amalgam to fill the hole in the tooth.
💡Amalgam is a filling material, not something for cleaning.