An alloy made primarily of copper, nickel, and zinc, often used to make decorative objects or costume jewelry as a cheaper alternative to silver.
From German 'Alpacca' or 'Neusilber,' but the term 'alfenide' may derive from brand names or from 'Alpaca' through Romance language evolution. The word emerged in the 19th century when German metallurgists developed new alloys to create affordable metal goods.
Alfenide is basically 'fake silver' that's so good at fooling people that museums sometimes find they've been displaying it for decades—it's harder than you'd think to tell the difference! This word represents the whole 19th-century movement toward industrial chemistry creating materials that were previously too expensive for ordinary people.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.