copper
- copper
{{11}}
copper (
n.1) malleable metallic element,
O.E. coper, from
W.Gmc. *kupar (
Cf. M.Du. koper,
O.N. koparr,
O.H.G. kupfar), from
L.L. cuprum, contraction of
L. Cyprium (aes) "
Cyprian (metal)," after
Gk. Kyprios "
Cyprus" (see
CYPRUS (
Cf. Cyprus)).
L. aes originally was "
copper," but this was extended to its alloy with tin,
bronze, and as this was far more extensively used than pure copper, the word's primary sense shifted to the alloy and a new word evolved for "
copper," from the Latin form of the name of the island of Cyprus, where copper was mined.
Aes passed into Germanic (which originally did not distinguish copper from its alloys) and became English
ORE (
Cf. ore). In Latin,
aes was the common word for "
cash, coin, debt, wages" in many figurative expressions. Chemical symbol
Cu is from
cuprum.
{{12}}
copper (
n.2) "
policeman," 1846;
agent noun from
COP (
Cf. cop) (
v.).
Etymology dictionary.
2014.
:
Look at other dictionaries:
copper(I) — copper(I) … English syllables
copper(II) — copper(II) … English syllables
Copper — Cop per, n. [OE. coper (cf. D. koper, Sw. koppar, Dan. kobber, G. kupfer), LL. cuper, fr. L. cuprum for earlier Cyprium, Cyprium aes, i.e., Cyprian brass, fr. Gr. ? of Cyprus (Gr. ?), anciently renowned for its copper mines. Cf. {Cypreous}.] 1. A … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
copper — copper1 [käp′ər] n. pl. copper or coppers [ME & OE coper < LL cuprum, contr. < Cyprium ( aes), Cyprian (brass), copper, after Gr Kyprios,CYPRUS, noted for its copper mines] 1. a reddish brown, malleable, ductile, metallic element that is… … English World dictionary
COPPER — Copper was the first metal humans learned to work with. The earliest evidence comes from Cayonu in southeast Turkey (late ninth or early eighth millennium B.C.), where small items of jewelry were made from cold hammered nuggets. Large scale… … Historical Dictionary of Mesopotamia
copper — Ⅰ. copper [1] ► NOUN 1) a red brown metallic chemical element which is used for electrical wiring and as a component of brass and bronze. 2) (coppers) Brit. coins of low value made of copper or bronze. 3) Brit. dated a large copper or iron… … English terms dictionary
Copper — Cop per, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Coppered}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Coppering}.] To cover or coat with copper; to sheathe with sheets of copper; as, to copper a ship. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Copper — (englisch für „Kupfer“) steht für: Amiga Copper, Koprozessor der Amiga Computer Copper River (Alaska) Copper River (Wisconsin) Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung zur Unterscheidung mehrerer mit demselb … Deutsch Wikipedia
copper — cop‧per [ˈkɒpə ǁ ˈkɑːpər] noun 1. [uncountable] a reddish brown metal used, among other things, for making wire and cable S: • On Friday, copper for March delivery ended at 98.9 cents a pound, up 1.9 cents. • The company is a major producer of… … Financial and business terms
copper — Symbol: Cu Atomic number: 29 Atomic weight: 63.54 Red brown transition element. Known by the Romans as cuprum. Extracted and used for thousands of years. Malleable, ductile and an excellent conductor of heat and electricity. When in moist… … Elements of periodic system
Copper — For other uses, see Copper (disambiguation) … Wikipedia
