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Glite Dictionary
Alnico

Alnico

1 8.9
A metal made from aluminum, nickel, and cobalt used to make strong permanent magnets
  • noun
  • /ˈæl.nɪ.koʊ/
  • Specialized
: Alnico
  • Neodymium magnets are the most commonly used types of rare earth magnets (the strongest among all permanent magnets, producing stronger magnetic fields than other types such as alnico and ferrite magnets).
  • Alnico magnets

Examples

  • Two alnico magnets on the rear of the unit are included for mounting onto any ferrous surface. Circle 258 on Reader Service Card.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Due to its durability, Alnico is commonly used in musical instrument pickups.

  • These magnets have coefficients compared with the traditional Alnico magnets, so they are not used in high-thermal-ambient conditions.

    Academic text (1994)

  • The engineer chose Alnico for the project because it can produce strong, lasting magnets.

  • Many speakers use Alnico magnets to enhance sound quality in audio equipment.

Synonyms

alloy
vsAlnico
  • Specialized
44 4.8

A metal made by mixing two or more metals together

is a specific trademark metal mix designed for making strong permanent magnets
ferromagnet
vsAlnico
  • Specialized
1 8.1

A metal like iron that becomes strongly magnetic and keeps its magnetism

is a trademark metal mix made specifically for strong permanent magnets

Surface Forms

Alnico singular
Alnicos plural

Morphology

Alnico = aluminum + nickel + cobalt (opaque) = al + ni + co

The form is a blend of clipped parts of aluminum, nickel, and cobalt, so the spelling does not transparently reveal the full source words to most learners.

Etymology

Alnico comes from the names of its three metals: aluminum, nickel, and cobalt, and it began as a brand name for a 'mix of metals'. So, Alnico now means that special metal used to make a 'strong permanent magnet' because that particular mix keeps magnetism well.