Alloyed

/əˈlɔɪd/ adjective

Definition

Mixed with another metal or substance; containing an alloy or having been combined with something else.

Etymology

From 'alloy' as a verb (to mix metals) plus the past participle suffix '-ed,' creating an adjective describing something that has been alloyed or mixed with other substances.

Kelly Says

The word 'alloyed' took on a metaphorical life in Shakespeare's time—poets would write about 'alloyed' love or 'alloyed' happiness to mean something pure that had been mixed with impurities, making it a perfect metaphor for the human condition.

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