nickel

noun

nick·​el ˈni-kəl How to pronounce nickel (audio)
variants or less commonly nickle
1
: a silver-white hard malleable ductile metallic element capable of a high polish and resistant to corrosion that is used chiefly in alloys and as a catalyst see Chemical Elements Table
2
a(1)
: the U.S. 5-cent piece regularly containing 25 percent nickel and 75 percent copper
(2)
: the Canadian 5-cent piece
b
: five cents
3
slang : a packet containing five dollars worth of an illicit drug (such as marijuana)

called also nickel bag

4
: a pass defense in football that employs five defensive backs

Examples of nickel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For the past two years, he’s been a standout at both nickel corner and as an outside cornerback. Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024 The chemistry generally nets a lower overall driving range for EVs after a full charge compared to the more expensive nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) batteries GM installs in most of its current EV models. Umar Shakir, The Verge, 18 Oct. 2024 There’s probably a decent chance nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon (hamstring) is back this week and the team is optimistic safety Jaquan Brisker (concussion) will make it through protocol soon, but these new injuries will take a toll and test depth. Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2024 Then when Carolina was threatening to score in the middle of the fourth, nickel cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian turned his body to secure a pass intended for wide receiver Jalen Coker near the goal line. Ryan McFadden, The Denver Post, 29 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for nickel 

Word History

Etymology

probably from Swedish nickel, from German Kupfernickel niccolite (mineral containing nickel arsenide), probably from Kupfer copper + Nickel goblin; from the deceptive copper color of niccolite

First Known Use

1755, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nickel was in 1755

Dictionary Entries Near nickel

Cite this Entry

“Nickel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nickel. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

nickel

1 of 2 noun
nick·​el
ˈnik-əl
1
: a silver-white hard metallic element that can be hammered and shaped and is capable of a high polish, resistant to wearing away, and used chiefly in alloys see element
2
a
also nickle : the U.S. five-cent piece made of nickel and copper
b
: five cents

nickel

2 of 2 verb
nick·​el
nickeled or nickelled; nickeling or nickelling
ˈnik-(ə-)liŋ
: to plate with nickel
Etymology

derived from German Kupfernickel "a compound of nickel and arsenic," literally "copper demon," from Kupfer "copper" and Nickel "demon"

Word Origin
When copper miners in the German state of Saxony first dug out chunks of what is now known to be nickel ore, they thought it was copper. But even though it was reddish-brown like copper, the ore broke easily and did not seem to have any use. Because they were at first fooled, the Germans called this ore Kupfernickel, meaning literally "copper demon" or "copper goblin." Kupfer is the German word for "copper" and Nickel in German means "demon" or "goblin." Even though the metal turned out to be quite valuable, it kept its old name. For a while the term was copper nickel in English, and then simply nickel, for both the metal and the American five-cent coin made out of a combination of nickel and copper.

Medical Definition

nickel

noun
nick·​el ˈnik-əl How to pronounce nickel (audio)
: a silver-white hard malleable ductile metallic element capable of a high polish and resistant to corrosion that is used chiefly in alloys and as a catalyst
symbol Ni
see Chemical Elements Table

More from Merriam-Webster on nickel

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