Etymology From Medieval Latin amalgama (“mercury alloy”), from Arabic اَلْمَلْغَم (al-malḡam, “emollient poultice or unguent for sores”), from Ancient Greek μάλαγμα (málagma, “emollient; malleable material”), from μαλάσσω (malássō, “to soften”), from μαλακός (malakós, “soft”). Doublet of malagma. For the verb, compare French amalgamer.
1
Engineering, Metallurgy, Natural sciences, Physical sciences An alloy containing mercury.
2
A combination of different things.
[…] nor must we overlook, in quite recent times, the ingenious "Dukedog", a little 4-4-0 (officially 90XX class) whose Victorian lineaments arise from an economical amalgam of obsolete "Duke" and "Bulldog" components.1956 October, R. S. McNaught, “Locomotive Nicknames”, in Railway Magazine, page 698:
This was the Ambergate, Nottingham & Boston & Eastern Junction Railway, an amalgam of a number of separate schemes put forward in 1845, which secured its Act on July 16, 1846.1960 March, J. P. Wilson, E. N. C. Haywood, “The route through the Peak - Derby to Manchester: Part One”, in Trains Illustrated, page 149:
1 more example
A church where spirit, pain, and joy formed a holy amalgam and were righteously acknowledged out loud.1987 December 20, Barbara Smith, “We Must Always Bury Our Dead Twice”, in Gay Community News, volume 15, number 23, page 10:
3
One of the ingredients in an alloy.
4
Dentistry, Medicine, Sciences An alloy of mercury used to fill tooth cavities.
Etymology From Medieval Latin amalgama (“mercury alloy”), from Arabic اَلْمَلْغَم (al-malḡam, “emollient poultice or unguent for sores”), from Ancient Greek μάλαγμα (málagma, “emollient; malleable material”), from μαλάσσω (malássō, “to soften”), from μαλακός (malakós, “soft”). Doublet of malagma. For the verb, compare French amalgamer.
1
Ambitransitive, Archaic To amalgamate (something) with a thing.
gold t’amalgam with some six of mercury1610 (first performance), Ben[jamin] Jonson, The Alchemist, London: […] Thomas Snodham, for Walter Burre, and are to be sold by Iohn Stepneth, […], published 1612, →OCLC, (please specify the Internet Archive page), (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
[…] I had once occaſion to diſtil in a ſmall Retort ſome Gold amalgamed vvith ſuch a fine and ſubtile Mercury, that being (vvithout the addition of any Salt) put to the Gold in the cold, they preſently grevv hot together.1684, Robert Boyle, “An Essay on the Porousness of Solid Bodies. Chapter VIII.”, in Experiments and Considerations about the Porosity of Bodies, in Two Essays, London: […] Sam[uel] Smith […], →OCLC, page 143: