To join metal pieces together by melting and applying a fusible alloy. Also used metaphorically to describe creating strong bonds or connections.
From Old French 'soudure' (soldering), from Latin 'solidare' (to make solid). The 'l' in the spelling reflects the Latin origin, though it's often silent in pronunciation, especially in American English.
Solder is pronounced without the 'l' sound in many dialects, making it a perfect example of how English spelling preserves historical etymology even when pronunciation has evolved—the word literally means 'to make solid'!
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