gilding metal

8.2

A type of brass with more copper used for items that need a reddish gold look

noun
/ˈɡɪldɪŋ ˈmɛtəl/

Specialized

: metal dorado

Many medals are made from gilding metal.

Examples

The artist chose gilding metal for the sculpture.
She learned how to shape gilding metal sheets in her jewelry class.
Bullets are sometimes made from gilding metal because of its durability and appearance.
The craftsman selected gilding metal for the decorative vase to ensure a smooth gold finish.
Gilding metal is often used to create decorative items that have a reddish-gold appearance.
The trophy was made from gilding metal, giving it a luxurious golden sheen.
Artisans prefer gilding metal for its durability and attractive finish in their gilded artworks.

Synonyms

tombak

vsgilding metal

Specialized

9.9

A metal made from copper and zinc that looks like gold in cheap jewelry

is chosen for medals and other items needing a reddish gold look

guinea gold

vsgilding metal

Archaic

9.4

A reddish brass metal often used for cheap jewelry and fittings

is preferred for making medals and items meant to be gilded

Surface Forms

gilding metal singular

gilding metals plural

Morphology

gilding + metal

This is a straightforward noun–noun compound: 'gilding' (a gold-like decorative layer) + 'metal' (an alloy), so the meaning—metal intended for gilding or having a reddish-gold appearance—is directly derivable from the constituents. The compositional pattern is common and follows regular English modifier+noun rules, so a B1 learner who knows both words should be able to understand the term despite its specialized use.

Etymology

Gilding metal is named for its job: gilding means covering something with a thin layer of gold and metal is the material underneath. Craftspeople used a metal with a lot of copper that takes a gold layer well, so the name came to mean 'a metal used for items that will be given a gold finish'.