thermite

noun

ther·​mite ˈthər-ˌmīt How to pronounce thermite (audio)
: a mixture of aluminum powder and a metal oxide (such as iron oxide) that when ignited evolves a great deal of heat and is used in welding and in incendiary bombs

Examples of thermite in a Sentence

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Early had allegedly started buying materials to make thermite, a mix of aluminum powder and iron oxide that produces intense heat and could devastate a building. — David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025 In early September, Ukrainian forces began deploying hovering drones equipped with tanks full of thermite, a metal incendiary that sprays like a liquid and burns as hot as 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit. — David Axe, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

therm- + -ite entry 1

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of thermite was in 1900

Rhymes for thermite

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thermite
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Cite this Entry

“Thermite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thermite. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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