amalgama
nounmasculine/feminine/ɐˈmaɫgɐmɐ/medium
a·mal·ga·ma
Definition
1. A metallic alloy, especially of mercury with another metal (such as silver or tin), used in dental fillings. 2. A mixture, a heterogeneous combination of diverse elements.
The dentist replaced the old amalgama filling with a composite.
The city is an amalgama of tradition and modernity.
Common collocations
dental amalgamcultural amalgam
Etymology
Do latim medieval 'amalgama', do árabe 'al-malġam' (emplastro suave), por sua vez do grego 'málagma' (pasta mole).