[mass noun]a silvery-white metal, the chemical element of atomic number 28(Symbol: Ni) (化学元素)镍(符号:Ni)
Nickel occurs naturally in various minerals and the earth's core is believed to consist largely of metallic iron and nickel. Its chief use is in alloys, especially with iron, to which it imparts strength and resistance to corrosion, and with copper for coinage
(N. Amer., informal)a five-cent coin; five cents (北美,非正式)5分硬币;5分钱
(nickelled, nickelling; 美 nickeled, nickeling)
[with obj.]coat with nickel 镀镍于
nickelic adjective nickelous adjective 语源
mid 18th cent.: shortening of German Kupfernickel, the copper-coloured ore from which nickel was first obtained, from Kupfer 'copper' + Nickel 'demon' (with reference to the ore's failure to yield copper)