What is Nickel? Meaning, Definition, Examples, Conversion Method (2024)

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What is the definition of nickel? ›

nickel. noun. nick·​el ˈnik-əl. : 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.

A nickel is a five-cent coin that got its name from the metal. Nickel is a silver-colored metal that's strong and resistant to corrosion, so it's often blended with other metals. Even the coin is part copper. For most people, a nickel means five cents.

uncountable noun. Nickel is a silver-coloured metal that is used in making steel. 2. countable noun. In the United States and Canada, a nickel is a coin worth five cents.

Nickel is a chemical element; it has symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel is a hard and ductile transition metal.

The Nickel Institute says that nickel is highly ductile, corrosion and oxidation resistant and 100 percent recyclable. These characteristics make it essential for building infrastructure, chemical production, communications, energy supply, environmental protection and food preparation.

nickel silver, a range of alloys of copper, nickel, and zinc which are silvery in appearance but contain no silver. Its composition varies from 7 to 30 percent nickel, the alloy most widely used being 18 percent nickel silver (18 percent nickel, 62 percent copper, 20 percent zinc).

The nickel is the United States' five-cent coin. The person on the obverse (heads) of the nickel is Thomas Jefferson, our 3rd president. He's been on the nickel since 1938, although the current portrait dates to 2006.

In 1865, Mint Director James Pollock thought that a five-cent coin made of nickel alloy would be a good trade for the five-cent paper notes that were circulating then. It turned out to be a good replacement for the half dime, too! The Mint once made two different 5-cent coins....

Although some dictionaries list “nickle” as an alternative spelling, by far the more common and more widely accepted spelling is “nickel.”

A nickel is worth 5 cents. A dime is worth 10 cents. A quarter is worth 25 cents.

What are examples of nickel materials? ›

Nickel (Ni) is a hard, silvery-white metal that may cause irritation to the skin. Exposure can harm the lungs, stomach, and kidneys. Exposure to nickel may lead to cancer. Workers may be harmed from exposure to nickel.

Nickel can be found in the heating coils and elements of common electric appliances such as clothes irons, hotplates, toaster ovens, grills, electric blankets, baseboard heaters and soldering irons.

Nickel's name comes from the Saxon term 'Kupfernickel' or Devils' Copper. 15th century miners in Germany found a brown-red ore which they believed to contain copper. They called it Kupfernickel or Devils' Copper because they couldn't recover copper from it. Coins in the USA first used nickel alloyed with copper in 1857 ...

The first nickels, minted in 1866, featured a portrait of Liberty on the obverse and a spread eagle on the reverse. In 1883, the design was changed to feature a portrait of Thomas Jefferson on the obverse and a shield on the reverse. This design has remained unchanged ever since.

Interesting Facts about Nickel

The U.S. five cent coin, the "nickel", is composed of 75% copper and 25% nickel. It is the second most abundant element in the Earth's core after iron. Nickel plays a role in the cells of plants and some microorganisms. It is sometimes added to glass to give it a green color.