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eutectic

eutectic

1 9.9
A mixture of substances that melts or becomes solid at a single lower temperature than any other mix of them
  • noun
  • /juˈtɛktɪk/
  • Specialized
: eutéctico
  • In metallurgy, understanding the eutectic composition is crucial for achieving desired melting points.
  • eutectic temperature

Examples

  • Another topical anesthetic commonly used is EMLA cream (eutectic mixture of local anesthetics).

    Academic text (2015)
  • If an alloy with composition Co is rapidly heated above its eutectic temperature TE to a temperature TM, the AB particles will not have sufficient time to dissolve.

    Academic text (2000)
  • We're going to talk about eutectic reactions now.

  • If there's any NH3 eutectic out there, I wouldn't want to step in it.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • He has been acting as president of Eutectic & Castolin Institute in Lausanne, Switzerland.

    Academic text (1998)
  • A CLFM temperature below the alloy solidus temperature but above the eutectic temperature should result in solute enrichment.

    Academic text (2000)
  • The CLFM temperature of 1240 Celsius should also lie between the alloy solidus temperature and the eutectic temperature.

    Academic text (2000)
  • The eutectic mixture of lead and tin melts at a lower temperature than either metal alone.

  • The scientist explained how the eutectic point is essential for optimizing the alloy's properties.

Surface Forms

eutectic singular
eutectics plural

Morphology

eutectic = eutect + ic

A technical term built from Greek combining elements (rendered here as 'eutect' + '-ic'); the components are not productive English morphemes for average learners, so the meaning is not derivable from familiar English words.

Etymology

Eutectic comes from Greek parts eu- ('good' or 'well') and tēkein ('to melt'), so it literally means 'well-melting'. So a eutectic mixture is one that 'melts well' at a single, lower temperature than its separate parts, which is why the name fits its behavior.