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Glite Dictionary
tombak

tombak

9.9
A metal made from copper and zinc that looks like gold in cheap jewelry
  • noun
  • Specialized
: tombak
  • Many antique picture frames from the region are gilded using tombak instead of real gold.

Examples

  • The imitation gold chain was made of tombak, making it affordable but less durable.

  • Tarnishing is common with tombak jewelry due to its copper content.

  • The ring is made of tombak.

  • Many artisans use tombak for their jewelry.

  • Many antique picture frames from the region are gilded using tombak instead of real gold.

  • Tarnishing is common with tombak jewelry due to its copper content.

  • The imitation gold chain was made of tombak, making it affordable but less durable.

Synonyms

tombac
vstombak
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A metal made by mixing copper and zinc used to make cheap jewelry look like gold

is an alternate spelling for the same alloy
gilding metal
vstombak
  • Specialized
1 8.2

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

is focused on imitating gold itself in cheap jewelry
pinchbeck
vstombak
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A metal that looks like gold and is used for cheap jewelry

sometimes contains arsenic to alter color for gilding
tambac
vstombak
  • Specialized
9.9

A metal made from copper and zinc used to look like gold in cheap jewelry

is a variant spelling for the same alloy
oreide
vstombak
  • Archaic
9.9

A metal made from copper, zinc, and tin that looks like gold for cheap jewelry

uses arsenic instead, giving a different hue for gilding

Surface Forms

tombak singular
tombaks plural

Etymology

Tombak comes from words like Malay tembaga and Spanish tumbaga, which mean 'copper' and name a copper-based alloy used by people to work metal. So tombak is a copper-and-zinc metal that looks like 'gold', which explains why it is used to imitate or gild gold.