# silver

Pronunciation: US say "SIL-vur" /ˈsɪl.vɚ/; UK say "SIL-vuh" /ˈsɪl.və/

## Noun

1. A lustrous white metallic element, atomic number 47, with the chemical symbol Ag.
   - Simple: A shiny white metal used for jewelry, coins, and mirrors.
   - _Because pure silver bends and scratches easily, jewelers usually blend it with a little copper._
   - _Traditional photographic film relies on light-sensitive compounds of silver to record an image._
3. A medal awarded for finishing second in a contest or competition.
   - Simple: A medal given for coming in second place.
   - _The sprinter took silver after a dramatic photo finish._
   - _Their team earned a silver in the relay event._
5. A shiny gray-white color like that of the metal, or something that shines with this color.
   - Simple: A shiny gray color like the metal silver, or something that shines that way.
   - _The dress shimmered in a pale silver under the stage lights._
   - _He chose silver for the walls to brighten the small room._
7. Money in the form of coins struck from silver or a comparable white metal.
   - Simple: Coins made from silver or a similar white metal.
   - _The merchant counted out the silver before handing over the goods._
   - _She kept a small pouch of silver for the long journey._
10. Objects made of silver or a similar white metal, especially knives, forks, spoons, and other tableware.
   - Simple: Things made of silver or a similar metal, especially knives, forks, and spoons.
   - _The estate sale featured silver of every kind, from trays to ornate mirrors._
   - _She inherited a collection of antique silver, including vases and candlesticks._

## Adjective

2. Of a shiny gray color, like the metal of the same name.
   - Simple: Having a shiny gray color, like the metal.
   - _Dawn gave the rooftops a silver shine after the frost._
   - _Her hair had gone silver, but her eyes stayed bright._
4. Made of silver, or of a white metal that looks like silver.
   - Simple: Made of silver, or of a metal that looks like silver.
   - _The museum displayed a silver goblet from the seventeenth century._
   - _He wore a silver ring engraved with his initials._
6. Of premium standing, yet ranked a grade below the higher gold level.
   - Simple: Good and valued, but ranked one level below gold in a set of plans or memberships.
   - _Hotel guests with silver status get late checkout, while gold members also get free breakfast._
   - _He upgraded to a silver plan, just short of the premium gold option._
8. Celebrating or relating to the completion of twenty-five years, especially of marriage.
   - Simple: Marking a twenty-fifth anniversary, especially of a wedding.
   - _The couple marked their silver anniversary with a trip to Italy._
   - _Friends gathered to toast the pair on their silver wedding._
12. Relating to elderly people and to matters connected with their lives and needs.
   - Simple: Having to do with old people, especially their needs and daily life.
   - _The silver economy targets the spending power of older consumers._
   - _With more people living into their nineties, banks and travel firms are competing for a share of the silver market._
13. Clear, soft, and musical in sound, like the ringing of silver. *(literary)*
   - Simple: Having a clear, soft, pleasant sound, like a small bell.
   - _Her silver laughter rang across the quiet hall._
   - _The choir's silver tones filled the cathedral._

## Verb

9. To coat the surface of an object with silver or another silvery metal.
   - Simple: To put a thin layer of silver or a similar shiny metal over something.
   - _Manufacturers silver the rear of glass sheets to produce mirrors._
   - _The jeweler silvered the copper frame before setting the stones._
11. To make something silvery or white, as age does to hair, or to become silvery in this way.
   - Simple: To make something look silver or white, or to slowly turn that color.
   - _Frost had silvered every blade of grass in the meadow by morning._
   - _By the time he turned fifty, the years had begun to silver his beard._

## Other meanings

- (verb) To polish something, or give it a bright sheen like that of silver.

## Origin

From Middle English "silver," from Old English "seolfor," going back through Proto-West Germanic and Proto-Germanic "*silubrą." It has cognates in Dutch "zilver," German "Silber," and Swedish "silver," as well as parallels in Baltic, Slavic, Celtic, and even non-Indo-European languages like Basque, but its ultimate origin is unknown. The adjective sense referring to the twenty-fifth wedding anniversary comes from "silver wedding," after German "Silberhochzeit."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/silver (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).