variants
or less commonly nickle
1
: a silver-white hard malleable ductile metallic element capable of a high polish and resistant to corrosion that is used chiefly in alloys and as a catalyst see Chemical Elements Table
2
a(1)
: the U.S. 5-cent piece regularly containing 25 percent nickel and 75 percent copper
(2)
: the Canadian 5-cent piece
b
: five cents
3
slang
: a packet containing five dollars worth of an illicit drug (such as marijuana)
called also nickel bag
4
: a pass defense in football that employs five defensive backs
Examples of nickel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Makky would make at least ten molds off the Steinbeck plaque, then cook them in a kiln at a thousand degrees, pour in molten nickel bronze, break the molds off, and water down the sand for reuse.
—
Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
Trade back and draft CB Will Johnson The Jets have two-thirds of their cornerback room locked in with Gardner and nickel Michael Carter II, though Carter needs to stay healthy in 2025.
—Zack Rosenblatt, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
His cut possibly opens up the Dolphins to look deeper into cornerbacks either in free agency and the late April draft, as the team will need another starter at the position, along with star cornerback Jalen Ramsey and nickel Kader Kohou.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2025
In 1989, for example, Arizona Rep. Jim Hayes proposed the Price Rounding Act, which called for cash purchases to be rounded to the nearest nickel.
—Jay L. Zagorsky, The Conversation, 13 Feb. 2025
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Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
Trade back and draft CB Will Johnson The Jets have two-thirds of their cornerback room locked in with Gardner and nickel Michael Carter II, though Carter needs to stay healthy in 2025.
—Zack Rosenblatt, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
His cut possibly opens up the Dolphins to look deeper into cornerbacks either in free agency and the late April draft, as the team will need another starter at the position, along with star cornerback Jalen Ramsey and nickel Kader Kohou.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2025
In 1989, for example, Arizona Rep. Jim Hayes proposed the Price Rounding Act, which called for cash purchases to be rounded to the nearest nickel.
—Jay L. Zagorsky, The Conversation, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nickel
Articles Related to nickel
Cite this Entry
“Nickel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nickel. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
nickel
noun
nick·el
ˈnik-əl 
: a silver-white hard malleable ductile metallic element capable of a high polish and resistant to corrosion that is used chiefly in alloys and as a catalyst
—symbol Ni
see Chemical Elements Table
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